LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Regional Government: Select Committees

Graham Allen: To ask the Leader of the House what progress has been made on the establishment of regional select committees; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: This matter is being examined by the Select Committee on the Modernisation of the House of Commons, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House. Proposals will be brought to the House in due course in the light of the Committee's report.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

DNA: International Co-operation

David Davis: To ask the Solicitor-General when the Crown Prosecution Service's inquiry into its treatment of a Dutch request to check DNA data will be completed; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: As soon as she was made aware of an issue surrounding the disk containing the 2,159 crime scene profiles from unsolved crimes submitted by the Dutch authorities, my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General ordered the CPS to conduct an urgent inquiry as to what happened and to report to her as soon as possible. The CPS is working closely with the police on this issue and the inquiry is not yet complete. The inquiry has three strands and it is expected that two of these strands will be completed by the end of March 2008.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Cost Effectiveness

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress his Department has made in its zero-based budget review under the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the annex pertaining to my Department in Meeting the aspirations of the British people: the 2007 pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm 7227).
	I would also refer to the Department's Value for Money Delivery Agreement
	www.nio.gov.uk/final_published_vfm_-_feb_08.pdf
	which outlines plans to deliver £108 million of savings by March 2011. The first update on progress will be published by the Department in its autumn performance report.

Departmental Hospitality

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many receptions were held at 11 Millbank in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 September 2007,  Official Report, columns 2148-249W. There have been no further receptions subsequent to this answer.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office has conducted three regulatory impact assessments in the last 12 months:
	1. Draft Criminal Justice Order 2008;
	2. PSNI (Conduct) (Amendment) Regulations 2008; and
	3. The Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (Registration) Regulations (Northern Ireland). Although this is a 1997 policy it has not yet been implemented.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to his Department's budget.

Shaun Woodward: The UK Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continue to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	In 2004, HM Treasury undertook a pilot project on gender analysis of expenditure with the Women's Budget Group. The project demonstrated the value of gender analysis in some areas and identified what tools and expertise were necessary within Government to carry out gender analysis, but that further work was needed before gender responsive budgeting could be implemented.
	In 2008, HM Treasury will be conducting further work that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate departmental expenditure statistics by gender.

Written Questions

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many written questions to his Department had not received an answer as at 25 February 2008 for  (a) between two and four,  (b) between four and six,  (c) between six and eight and  (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer.

Shaun Woodward: As at 25 February 2008 10 questions remained unanswered for between two and four weeks and three questions remained unanswered for between six and eight weeks. None of these questions were for Named Day answer.

Sexual Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many category  (a) 1,  (b) 2 and  (c) 3 sex offenders there are (i) in custody and (ii) resident in the community in each district council area in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: As of 1 February 2008 the number of sex offenders in custody assessed under the multi-agency sex offender risk assessment and management (MASRAM) arrangements is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Category 1 (low risk) 6 
			 Category 2 (medium risk) 79 
			 Category 3 (high risk) 30 
		
	
	The following table updates the information provided in the annual report 'Managing the Risk' published last year by the Northern Ireland Sex Offender Strategic Management Committee. It also provides information on risk categories of offenders assessed under the MASRAM arrangements resident in police command areas as at 26 February 2008.
	
		
			  Sex offenders by police command area assessed under the  MASRAM arrangements 
			  Police command area  Category 1 (low risk)  Category 2 (medium risk)  Category 3 (high risk)  Total 
			 Antrim 18 4 0 22 
			 Ards 19 6 0 25 
			 Armagh 14 6 0 20 
			 Ballymena 21 5 0 26 
			 Ballymoney 8 3 0 11 
			 Banbridge 10 2 0 12 
			 Carrickfergus 8 1 0 9 
			 Castlereagh 9 5 0 14 
			 Coleraine 20 12 0 32 
			 Cookstown 2 3 0 5 
			 Craigavon 26 13 0 39 
			 Down 26 8 1 35 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 6 3 0 9 
			 East Belfast 23 12 0 35 
			 Fermanagh 13 13 0 26 
			 Foyle 29 22 0 51 
			 Lame 7 1 0 8 
			 Lisburn 29 12 0 41 
			 Limavady 6 8 0 14 
			 Magherafelt 3 4 0 7 
			 Moyle 3 2 0 5 
			 Newtownabbey 13 6 0 19 
			 Newry and Mourne 18 10 0 28 
			 North Belfast 38 16 2 56 
			 North Down 23 14 0 37 
			 Omagh 13 9 1 23 
			 South Belfast 64 50 2 116 
			 Strabane 11 4 0 15 
			 West Belfast 14 3 0 17

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Essex

Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to her answer of the 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2309W, on Olympic Games 2012: Essex, how many times the Nations and Regions Group has met since it was established.

Tessa Jowell: The Nations and Regions Group first met in May 2004, before London was confirmed as the location for the 2012 games. Its role then was to bring substance to our bid commitment that we would spread the benefits from the 2012 games across the UK, and also to generate support within the UK for London's bid. It met a total of four times before July 2005, when London's success was confirmed.
	Since July 2005, the group has continued to meet and has developed more formal operating and governance arrangements. It has met a further 12 times and will continue to meet quarterly. The group's purpose is to deliver against the bid commitment to maximise the levels of engagement and benefit across the UK from the 2012 games, which was a key component of our bid success.

Olympic Games 2012: Landscaping

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many companies she expects to undertake work on landscaping contracts for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority will appoint three main contractors to undertake the management of landscaping for the 2012 Olympic Park—the North Park contract, the South Park contract and the Greenway contract. For off-park venues, the responsibility for landscaping will rest with the main contractor appointed to each venue. The ODA would then expect each main contractor to use subcontractors and suppliers to carry out the required works.
	Until the main contractors have been appointed, I cannot say how many companies will be involved, as this will depend on how the works are then phased and split with each contractor.
	To help businesses access 2012-related contracts, the London 2012 Business Network was launched in January of this year. A key part of this is CompeteFor, an online brokerage service matches the profiles of suppliers and buyers, enabling businesses to directly compete for contracts, including landscaping contracts. I would encourage companies in your constituency to take advantage of this opportunity.

Olympic Games 2012: Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps the Olympic Delivery Authority is taking to ensure a satisfactory interchange between the international and domestic stations at Stratford; and what specific measures will be in place at the time of the commencement of new high-speed domestic services.

Tessa Jowell: The passenger interchange between Stratford international and regional stations is a matter for London and Continental Railways (LCR) and the developers of zone 1 of the Stratford City site, Westfield. Their obligation around providing this interchange is laid down by a Transport and Works Act Order 2001 from the Secretary of State for Transport and section 106 obligations from the London borough of Newham.
	The Olympic Delivery Authority's independent planning committee will consider and determine the applications made by Westfield including any specific measures that are put in place for the commencement of the domestic services where those measures differ to the permanent interchange proposal.
	It is expected currently that the high-speed domestic services to Stratford international will commence commercial operations in late 2009. The DLR extension between Stratford regional and Stratford international is programmed to commence services in mid-2010.
	The Olympic Delivery Authority has also sought to facilitate better interchange between the stations by co-funding a new entrance to Stratford international at the eastern end of the station. This scheme is being funded with the Department for Transport and Union Railways North (a subsidiary of London and Continental Railways) and is due for completion in time for the commencement of high-speed domestic services.

Terrorism: Victim Support Schemes

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what contingency plans she has made to provide assistance to those who survive a future terrorist attack in the UK.

Tessa Jowell: The Humanitarian Assistance Unit is working closely with regional and local resilience teams to ensure that their plans for future emergencies include the provision of humanitarian assistance. We have published guidance and research which reflects the lessons we have learnt from previous incidents and identifies good practice around the country.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Community Fund: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which projects in Tamworth constituency have received community fund grants.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Grants totalling £3,401,356 have been awarded by the Community Fund to the Tamworth constituency and are listed in the following table.
	The information is location specific. That is, the list includes only grants that are specific to locations in the constituency and excludes grants that might have gone to addresses in the constituency—to headquarters offices for example—but are not otherwise related to it. The Department's lottery grants database is searchable at:
	www.lottery.culture.gov.uk
	and uses information supplied by the lottery distributors.
	
		
			  Grants awarded by the Community Fund to the constituency of Tamworth 
			  Recipient  Award date  Award amount (£) 
			 Shenstone Day Care Centre 19 December 1995 2,500 
			 Housing Community Chest - Tamworth 17 December 1996 13,000 
			 Tamworth Sea Cadets 18 September 1997 181,014 
			 South East Staffordshire Centre for Integrated Living 18 September1997 197,130 
			 Stonnall Village Hall 30 October 1998 15,000 
			 1st Hopwas Scout Group 7 January 1999 152,000 
			 Tamworth Male voice Choir 20 April 1999 5,000 
			 Shenstone Village Hall 27 April 1999 23,462 
			 Mercian Ward Community Association 17 June 1999 2,387 
			 Mile Oak Sea Scout Group 17 June 1999 3,065 
			 The Dark Ages Charitable Trust 9 September 1999 5,000 
			 Hopwas Playing Field Committee 11 November 1999 5,000 
			 Harlaston Village Hall Management Committee 26 November 1999 4,000 
			 Bancroft Community Association 26 November 1999 5,000 
			 Tamworth Council for Voluntary Service 2 December 1999 182,187 
			 Argyle Pre-School Nursery 27 January 2000 750 
			 The National Association for Special educational Needs NASEN 27 January 2000 5,000 
			 Tamworth Division Guide Association 27 January 2000 2,018 
			 Staffordshire Scouts International Friendship Camp 2000 31 March 2000 5,000 
			 Pre-School Learning Alliance (PLA) 31 March 2000 2,357 
			 Tamworth Talking Newspaper 31 March 2000 5,000 
			 4th Tamworth (St. Editha's) Scout Group 31 March 2000 4,616 
			 Tamworth Third Age 31 March 2000 4,490 
			 Edingdale Pre-School Playgroup 15 June 2000 500 
			 Colon Green Community Hall Association 15 June 2000 5,000 
			 Fazeley Pre-School 15 June 2000 1,000 
			 Mile Oak Munchkins Pre School 15 June 2000 3,450 
			 Tamworth Community Service Council 13 July 2000 134,097 
			 Shenstone Playing Fields Management Committee 6 September 2000 3,755 
			 Lichfield and District PLA Branch Exec Sub-Committee 6 September 2000 4,998 
			 Tamworth Sea Cadets 25 September 2000 5,000 
			 1122 (Marmion) Air Training Corps 25 September 2000 5,000 
			 Age Concern Tamworth 1 November 2000 153,494 
			 Shropshire County Scout Council 5 April 2001 5,000 
			 Stonnall Pre-School Playgroup 5 April 2001 2,499 
			 Colon Green Pre-School Nursery 5 July 2001 5,000 
			 Wigginton (St. Leonard's) Scout Group 5 July 2001 4,993 
			 Harlaston Village Hall Management Committee 5 July 2001 5,000 
			 1st Hopwas Seoul Group 5 July 2001 5,000 
			 54lh Birmingham Guides 5 July 2001 1,962 
			 Home Start Tamworth 19 July 2001 82,146 
			 Edingale Village Hall 14 September 2001 3,778 
			 Glascote Advice Shop 21 November 2001 4,716 
			 Parochial Church Council of Glascote and Stonydelph 24 January 2002 445,280 
			 Stonnall Village Hall 31 January 2002 3,041 
			 Glascote Platoon 'A' Coy Warwickshire ACF 18 April 2002 4,703 
			 Tamworth Community Service Council 18 April 2002 4,275 
			 Age Concern Tamworth 18 July 2002 86,551 
			 Tamworth & District Citizens Advice Bureau 19 September 2002 200,991 
			 Age Concern Tamworth 28 November 2002 32,614 
			 Tamworth Council for Voluntary Service 20 March 2003 323,851 
			 Tamworth Cornerstone Housing Association 18 July 2003 216,480 
			 Age Concern Tamworth 30 January 2004 23,364 
			 Tamworth Council for Voluntary Service 30 January 2004 260,131 
			 Edingale Village Hall 30 January 2004 26,385 
			 Parochial Church Council of Glascote & Stonydelph 10 May 2005 60,000 
			 Home Start Tamworth 10 May 2005 78,467 
			 The Manna House (Tamworth) Company 10 May 2005 104,819 
			 Elford Village Hall 8 August 2005 204,350 
			 The Manna House (Tamworth) Company 8 August 2005 64,690

Departmental Studies

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 38W, on departmental studies, when each study began; when each was expected to be completed; what the current estimated completion date of each is; and when the results of each study will be published.

Margaret Hodge: With reference to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 38W, on departmental studies, all studies are now complete and details outlined in the following table.
	
		
			Study  Date study commenced  Original expected date of completion  Estimated publishing date  Date published 
			 Economic impact of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's cultural investment (renamed "A Framework for Evaluating Cultural Policy") May 2006 September 2006 — May 2007 
			 Assessing the readiness of the social housing sector for digital switchover (renamed "Communal TV systems and Preparation for Digital Switchover") August 2006 December 2006 — January 2007 
			 Governance of non-departmental government bodies(1) November 2005 January 2006 n/a n/a 
			 Casino impacts scoping study (the Lancaster study) July 2006 November 2006 — February 2008 
			 Sport's contribution to achieving wider social benefits July 2006 October 2006 — August 2007 
			 Measuring elasticity of tourism demand May 2006 May 2007 July 2008 — 
			 International dimension of the creative economy (renamed " Framework for Understanding International Demand for the Creative Industries" January 2007 June 2007 — September 2007 
			 Exploring creative industry spillovers November 2006 June 2007 — September 2007 
			 Museums indicators revisions (renamed "Review of Performance Indicator Framework for National Museums and Galleries") October 2006 December 2006 — August 2007 
			 Review of evidence base for delivering  SP2/ PSA3—Culture on Demand" September 2006 January 2007 — July 2007 
			 (1) The document 'Governance of non—departmental government bodies' has been placed in the Libraries of the House for information although not formally published.

National Lottery: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which projects were awarded funding by the Big Lottery Fund in Tamworth constituency in each of the last five years.  [Official Report, 31 March 2008, Vol. 474, c. 5MC.]

Gerry Sutcliffe: Grants awarded by the Big Lottery Fund and its predecessors, the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund, in each of the last five completed financial years to the Tamworth Constituency are listed in the following table.
	The information is location specific. That is, the list includes only grants that are specific to locations in the constituency and excludes grants that might have gone to addresses in the constituency, to headquarters offices for example, but are not otherwise related to it. The Department's Lottery Grants Database is searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk and uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.
	 Grants awarded by the Big Lottery Fund and its predecessors the Community Fund and The New Opportunities Fund during each of the last five completed financial years to the constituency of Tamworth
	There are no grants made by the Big Lottery Fund to the constituency of Tamworth in any of the last five completed financial years.
	
		
			  Community fund financial year 2002-03 
			  Recipient  Award date  Award amount  (£) 
			 Glascote Platoon 'A' Coy Warwickshire ACF 18 April 2002 4,703 
			 Tamworth Community Service Council 18 April 2002 4,275 
			 Age Concern Tamworth 18 July 2002 86,551 
			 Tamworth and District Citizens Advice Bureau 19 September 2002 200,991 
			 Age Concern Tamworth 28 November 2002 32,614 
			 Tamworth Council for Voluntary Service 20 March 2003 323,851 
		
	
	
		
			  Community fund financial year 2003-04 
			  Recipient  Award date  Award amount (£) 
			 Tamworth Cornerstone Housing Association 18 July 2003 216,480 
			 Age Concern Tamworth 30 November 2004 23,364 
			 Tamworth Council for Voluntary Service 30 January 2004 260,131 
			 Edingale Village Hall 30 January 2004 26,385 
		
	
	There were no grants made by the Community Fund to the constituency of Tamworth in the financial year 2004-05.
	
		
			  Community fund financial year 2005-06 
			  Recipient  Award date  Award amount (£) 
			 Parochial Church Council of Glascote and Stonydelph 10 May 2005 60,000 
			 Home Start Tamworth 10 May 2005 78,467 
			 The Manna House (Tamworth) Company 10 May 2005 104,819 
			 Elford Village Hall 8 August 2005 204,350 
			 The Manna House (Tamworth) Company 8 August 2005 64,690 
		
	
	There are no grants made by the Community Fund to the constituency of Tamworth in the financial year 2006-07.
	
		
			  New opportunities fund 2002 -03 
			  Recipient  Award date  Award amount (£) 
			 Argyle Pre-School Nursery 18 April 2002 1,750 
			 Oakhill Primary School 19 December 2002 10,000 
		
	
	There are no grants made by the New Opportunities Fund to the constituency of Tamworth in the financial year 2003-04 or 2004-05.
	
		
			  New opportunities fund 2005-06 
			  Recipient  Award date  Award amount (£) 
			 Tamworth Council for Voluntary Service 10 October 2005 149,935 
		
	
	
		
			  New opportunities fund 2006-07 
			  Recipient  Award date  Award amount (£) 
			 Hodge Lane Conservation Group 9 October 2006 3,328

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Members' Visitors

Sarah Teather: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will review the green card system used to alert hon. and right hon. Members about visitors to assess its effectiveness as a messaging tool; and if the Commission will take steps to ensure hon. Members' offices are alerted by telephone as soon as a green card is submitted.

Nick Harvey: I will ask the Serjeant at Arms to review the green card system and report back to the House of Commons Commission.
	When a visitor submits a green card during a normal business day, a Doorkeeper will endeavour to reach the Member or his/her staff by telephone.
	During mass lobbies, when the number of green cards submitted can exceed 1,000, it is not possible to make a personal telephone call in each case. The hon. Member may wish to be aware that when green cards are received in Members' Lobby during mass lobbies there are a number of options for being informed about the arrival of constituents.
	Messages can be sent via:
	pager
	text to mobile phone
	e-mail
	fax
	illumination of a red flashing light on the Member's desk telephone, or the Member's staff telephone, indicating that there is an item on the Message Board in Members' Lobby.
	Additionally, a Doorkeeper will take the green card messages around the Palace and the Portcullis House atrium to try to deliver them to Members personally. For further information, and to confirm how they wish to receive messages, Members are invited to contact the Messaging Administrator on extension 5678. Leaflets about this service are also available from the Doorkeepers in the Members' Lobby.

Security

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much was spent on security in the Palace of Westminster in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The resource cost of security for the whole of the parliamentary estate is only available from 2001-02 following the introduction of resource accounting in that year. The figures are:
	
		
			  Cost (£000) 
			   Commons  Lords  Total 
			 2001-02 12,896 5,913 18,809 
			 2002-03 15,319 6,928 22,247 
			 2003-04 16,655 7,511 24,166 
			 2004-05 18,110 8,122 26,232 
			 2005-06 19,917 9,112 29,029 
			 2006-07 20,292 9,313 29,605 
		
	
	In addition, there has been cash expenditure on a number of security related projects as follows:
	
		
			   Cost (£000) 
			 2001-02 199 
			 2002-03 1,961 
			 2003-04 1,201 
			 2004-05 1,304 
			 2005-06 3,719 
			 2006-07 8,172 
		
	
	Costs are shared between the two Houses.

Security

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission under what circumstances a Palace of Westminster pass may be  (a) suspended and  (b) revoked; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The information is as follows.
	 (a) A pass will be suspended if the Serjeant at Arms or her Deputy has reason to believe that a pass-holder who is not a Member has been convicted of a criminal offence or has engaged in behaviour or associations which create an expectation that the pass-holder's access to the parliamentary estate could be detrimental to the security or reputation of the House of Commons.
	 (b) A pass may be revoked if, following consultation with appropriate authorities or individuals, the expectation referred to in paragraph  (a) is confirmed or, in the balance of probabilities, is considered to be likely.

Security

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many  (a) males and  (b) females, broken down by age group, were (i) arrested, (ii) prosecuted and (iii) convicted of trespass in the Palace of Westminster in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Nick Harvey: The Palace of Westminster became a designated site relating to Trespass under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 on 1 June 2007.
	The only persons arrested for trespass have been the demonstrators on the roof on 27 February 2008. Five persons were arrested: female aged 20; female aged 23; male aged 27; male aged 34 and male aged 31.

Visitor Management

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress has been made in introducing an improved visitor management system; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The new visitor management system is being trialled at the Derby Gate entrance to the estate. The system will be installed at two further entry points (1 Parliament Street and Black Rod's Garden) during March, with the full programme of installation due for completion by July 2008.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Advertising

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of her Department's expenditure was on advertising in each year since establishment.

Parmjit Dhanda: Communities and Local Government was established in May 2006. The advertising spend in the financial year 2006-07 was 0.12 per cent. of the Department's programme spend. The information for 2007-08 is not yet available.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to her Department's budget.

Parmjit Dhanda: The UK Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continue to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	In 2004, HM Treasury undertook a pilot project on gender analysis of expenditure with the Women's Budget Group. The project demonstrated the value of gender analysis in some areas and identified what tools and expertise were necessary within government to carry out gender analysis, but that further work was needed before gender responsive budgeting could be implemented.
	In 2008, HM Treasury will be conducting further work that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate departmental expenditure statistics by gender.

English Partnerships: Vacant Land

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of land owned by English Partnerships is unused; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: At English Partnerships' (EP) last annual valuation in April 2007, EP owned 8,500 hectares of land. EP plans to dispose of around 400 hectares for development during the 2007-08 financial year, mostly through market competition, as well as 565 hectares that have no potential for housing or commercial use, as amenity land.
	English Partnerships brings forward its land for development in the usual way through the statutory planning regime, working with local authorities and other partners in both public and private sectors to support high quality sustainable growth in England by creating well-served mixed communities. EP also has a programme which purchases and sells Surplus Public Sector Land, including redundant hospital sites. This is in line with last year's Housing Green Paper, making a contribution towards the Government's ambition to see three million new homes built by 2020.

Health and Safety Executive

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 778W, on the Health and Safety Executive, for what reasons the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister did not communicate the warnings of the Health and Safety Executive in relation to certain water heaters to social landlords and private householders following the 2002 fatality.

Iain Wright: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received information about the 2002 fatality following an approach by its officials to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This information comprised a copy of the HSE factual report into the accident and a covering letter.
	HSE has made it clear that at the time of the fatality, it considered the circumstances which led up to the accident to be very rare. The information passed to ODPM was taken into account in our work with relevant trade and industry bodies to develop minimum standards of competence for the Building Regulations Competent Persons Schemes and in our preparations for a planned review of part g of the building regulations to fully consider all aspects of hot water safety.
	Neither HSE nor CLG took any further action to disseminate the information from the report of the 2002 accident more widely.

Health and Safety Executive

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 788W, on the Health and Safety Executive, if she will issue guidance to social landlords on the risks arising from the type of water heater involved in the death of Rhianna Hardie.

Iain Wright: The Health and Safety Executive issued a safety alert in July 2007 detailing the causes of the accident and the typical warning signs to watch out for. This alert was sent to a wide range of stakeholders including housing associations, local government and local authority housing departments. We are working with HSE and others to ensure that any gaps there may be in awareness of this particular risk are closed. In particular we intend to formally ask the Housing Corporation to bring the HSE alert and advice to the attention of housing associations and are working with HSE to re-issue the HOUSE advice and alert to all local authorities both in their capacity as an enforcement authority and as a landlord.

Housing: Disabled

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent by Tamworth Borough Council on improving homes for disabled people in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: Over the last 3 years, Tamworth borough council spent the following amounts on improving homes for disabled people:
	2005-06: 203,871.30;
	2006-07: 186,872.73; and
	2007-08: 125,162.51 has been spent so far this year, with a further 131,987.00 committed, giving a total of 257,149.51.

Housing: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 17 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 1140-1W, on housing: finance, for what reasons her Department's capital investment in  (a) council-owned housing stock and  (b) home ownership schemes in relation to housing associations was less in 2006-07 than in each of the previous three years.

Iain Wright: The overall investment in housing has increased year on year up to and including 2006-07. There are a number of reasons why there was a reduction in the level of capital investment in council owned stock in 2006-07: reduced stock numbers; a separation of monies for private sector renewal from the funding stream that previously combined this funding with that for council housing stock; and the recommendations of regional assemblies on the allocation of available resources for new build affordable housing (including low cost home ownership schemes) and investment in existing stock.

Housing: Local Government Finance

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether all funding from local authorities for redistribution under the Housing Revenue Account programme is ring-fenced for housing projects led by her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Currently, all assumed surpluses that are captured by the housing revenue account subsidy system are redistributed to authorities with assumed deficits and paid into individual authorities' housing revenue accounts. The housing revenue account is ring-fenced and authorities can only use these resources for the upkeep of their own housing stock. In the current year Government are forecast to make a net contribution to the overall subsidy system.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2008, Official Report, column 583W, and 1 February 2008,  Official Report, column 690-91W, on housing: low incomes, what types of home improvement the householder cannot request be excluded from any equity uplift share with the mortgage lender and Homebuyer Agent;
	(2)  what types of home improvement require prior permission from the mortgage lender in order to be excluded from the mortgage lender and Homebuy Agent sharing in the equity uplift.

Iain Wright: All home improvements such as building an extension or altering the layout of the home require the prior agreement of the HomeBuy Agent and lender.

Local Government: Reorganisation

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the results of the consultation on local government reorganisation in Cheshire; and how many and what proportion of responses indicated a broad cross-section of support for two unitary councils.

John Healey: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today.

Local Government: Standards

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government further to the publication by her Department of National Indicators for Local Authorities and Local Authority Partnerships: Update on publication of the final definitions for the national indicator set, which best value performance indicators and other old performance measures which are not included in the national indicator set will continue to be collected as data returns from local authorities by central government after 1st April 2008.

John Healey: All best value and other performance indicators which are not included in the national indicator set will cease as performance indicators from 1 April 2008. We are working with other Government Departments to identify those data collections which are to be discontinued, in line with the commitment made in the Local Government White Paper to limit data collection to that which is necessary for reasons such as financial management and policy development, and to meet the 30 per cent. target for reduction in data burdens announced on 9 October 2007 as part of the comprehensive spending review.

Unitary Councils: Cheshire

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which respondents to the consultation on local government reorganisation in Cheshire expressed support for two unitary councils.

John Healey: I refer my hon. Friend to my statement to the House on 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1050, and the publication, 'Proposals for Future Unitary Structures: Stakeholder ConsultationSummary of Reponses', published by my Department on 19 November 2007.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Children: Day Care

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the quality of childcare and early years education in  (a) deprived areas and  (b) affluent areas; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The 2006-07 Ofsted Schools Inspection(1) Annual Report presents information on the quality of childcare and nursery education settings. Of the 27,236 settings inspected, overall childcare quality was outstanding in 3 per cent. of settings, good in 54 per cent., satisfactory in 39 per cent. and inadequate in 4 per cent. The standard of early education in 6,343 settings was rated as outstanding (5 per cent.), good (55 per cent.), satisfactory (37 per cent.) and inadequate (2 per cent.). The report also found that of 16,512 childminders overall childcare quality was of an outstanding quality for 3 per cent. of providers, 54 per cent. were of good quality, 39 per cent. were of satisfactory quality and 3 per cent. were of inadequate quality.
	These findings are supported by this Department's evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative (NNI), published in March 2007, which provides information on the quality of childcare and early years education in disadvantaged areas. The study found that 93 per cent. of settings were rated as at least of adequate quality and 70 per cent. were providing provision quality that was of an adequate but just below a good standard of care, 23 per cent. were offering a good to excellent standard of provision. Settings were most successful at providing children with pleasant and appropriate staff-child interactions that were warm and respectful. Although there is no comparable data on settings in more affluent areas, the study found that families from very different backgrounds and with different needs were being offered comparable quality of provision. Nurseries providing for high proportions of disadvantaged families offered comparable quality services to settings serving less disadvantaged families.
	(1)( )For inspection purposes, provision quality in UK childcare and early years settings is explored through professional judgements captured through the recently developed Ofsted Inspection Framework. The framework is used to assess whether settings meet the minimum standards of providing quality provision. The framework measures quality based on the effective delivery of the Every Child Matters Outcomes, for children: being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving and making a positive contribution. Settings are rated on a four point grading scale, where 1 = outstanding, 2 = good, 3 = satisfactory, 4 = inadequate.

Christmas

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its agencies have spent on Christmas  (a) cards,  (b) parties and  (c) decorations in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The Department spent 2,653 on Christmas cards and 460 on a Christmas tree at the headquarters building. The Department does not fund Christmas parties. Records are not kept centrally for its non-departmental public bodies' spend on Christmas cards or decorations.

Departmental Advertising

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of his Department's expenditure was on advertising in each year since establishment.

Kevin Brennan: Promotional campaigns, including those using advertising, are funded from the Department's central advertising and publicity budget and from individual programme budgets held by policy directorates.
	Spend on advertising for 2007-08 is not yet available. However, advertising spend constitutes approximately 20 per cent. of the total Departmental budget for marketing and communications for the 2007-08 financial year.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what requirements his Department places on contractors in relation to audit of personal data and IT equipment.

Kevin Brennan: The Department's contract templates include clauses for use where a contractor is required to process information on individuals in any way, either electronically or on paper, that ensures data protection, confidentiality and prevent the loss of data.
	Where a contractor's employees are required to have access to, or knowledge or custody of, Government assets such as documents, IT equipment and the Department's premises, the contractor must meet the Government-wide personnel security standard, which requires employee checks on identity, employment history, nationality and immigration status and the declaration of unspent criminal records.
	Contractors are also bound by the requirements of the Data Protection Act and will operate in accordance with their corporate governance, security and audit arrangements.

Departmental Databases

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what databases are  (a) owned and  (b) maintained by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested is not readily available centrally within the Department for Children, Schools and Families. To respond fully would involve an extensive internal and external information collection exercise which would exceed the recommended disproportionate cost threshold.

Departmental Expenditure

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what efficiency savings his Department was required to make as part of its Spending Review 2004 (SR04) targets; what efficiency projects have been undertaken in the Department in pursuit of those targets; on what date each was initiated; and how much each was predicted to contribute to the SR04 target.

Kevin Brennan: The Department is jointly committed with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) to the efficiency target set originally for the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
	The DfES target is 2.5 per cent. a year over the spending review 2004 period. This means being able to demonstrate cumulative gains against our baseline of 1.45 billion in 2005-06, 2.9 billion in 2006-07 and 4.35 billion in 2007-08.
	Details of the specific initiatives which contribute to our Gershon efficiency target are set out in our Efficiency Technical Note, which is available on the Department's website.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many Wikipedia entries have been  (a) created and  (b) amended (i) by  (A) special advisers,  (B) Ministers and  (C) communications officials and (ii) from IP addresses of (1) special advisers, (2) Ministers and (3) communications officials in (x) his Department and (y) its predecessor since August 2005.

Kevin Brennan: No Wikipedia entries have been created by anyone in the Department or its predecessor. One entry has been amended by a Minister. It is not possible to obtain IP address information without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Leave

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff in his Department are  (a) on leave,  (b) suspended,  (c) on sick leave,  (d) retained and  (e) otherwise inactive.

Kevin Brennan: At the end of February 2008, 91 staff were on sick leave and 162 staff were retained or inactive (i.e. those on maternity leave, special leave without pay or career breaks).
	Central records are not kept for staff on leave, or those who have been suspended, and figures could be collected at only disproportionate cost.

Departmental Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) staff and  (b) full-time equivalent staff under 18 years of age are employed by his Department.

Kevin Brennan: The Department employs  (a) two staff who are under 18 years of age. Both are full-time so this equals  (b) two full-time equivalents. This is out of a total of 2,871 staff (2,722 full-time equivalents) currently employed in the Department.

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people over the age of 55 have been recruited by his Department and its predecessors in each of the last three years.

Kevin Brennan: The information on recruits to the current Department and its predecessors is given as follows:
	
		
			  Recruits over the age of 55 years 
			   Number 
			 2005 10 
			 2006 15 
			 2007(1) 9 
			 2008(2) 0 
			 (1) DFES and DCSF (2) To date

Departmental Sick Pay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost of sickness pay to staff within his Department was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: It is not possible to provide information for a whole year as my Department was created as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. However, I am able to tell you that for the six months ending 31 December 2007 the cost of sickness pay to staff within the Department amounted to 1.52 million.
	The Department is committed to managing sickness absence effectively and keeping it to a minimum. Effective preventative measures, including maintaining a healthy work environment, are in place, supported by prompt action when people become sick.

Health Insurance

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many officials in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies have private health insurance provided as part of their employment package.

Kevin Brennan: The Department does not offer private health insurance as part of the employment package.
	The Department has no agencies.

Intimidation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many cases of bullying have been reported in (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in each of the last 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: No complaints of bullying were reported in the Department or its agencies in the last 12 months.
	The Department has no agencies.

Primary Education: Nutrition

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what procedures are in place to monitor nutritional standards in primary schools.

Kevin Brennan: As part of their regular inspections of schools Ofsted expect schools to present evidence about their general approach to food and healthy eating and will report any issues which arise out of self-assessment or as a result of their inspection visit.
	Our aim is that all schools will have attained Healthy School status, or be working towards it, by 2009. One of the success criteria is healthy eating and, as part of this, schools will need to show adherence to the new standards.

Young People: Suicide

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people under the age of 21 years committed suicide in 2007; and what research has been undertaken by his Department on suicide risk factors and methods of prevention of suicide among young people.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of deaths from suicide and undetermined injury among people aged under 20 in England in the latest available year, 2006, was 128. Data from the Office for National Statistics is provided in five-year age bands, not single years, so information on suicides by those under 21 is not available.
	Research conducted by a number of organisations, including the Department, outline many of the risk factors associated with suicide and these helped form the basis of the suicide prevention strategy for England.
	The Department has also funded, through the National Institute for Health Research, a programme entitled Collaborative learning on the web. The role of online communities in public and professional health education: an exploration based on self-harm. This study aims to support collaboration between young people and health professionals in the production of health information to young people who self-harm.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to regulate animal testing; and how many animals  (a) were used in and  (b) died during testing in the last (i) 10 years and (ii) 12 months.

Meg Hillier: The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 makes provision for the protection of animals used for experimental or other scientific purposes which may have the effect of causing pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm. The production, as well as the use, of genetically modified animals is also regulated by the Act. The Act puts into effect, and in some ways exceeds, the requirements of European Union Directive 86/609/EEC and of Council of Europe Convention ETS 123. The Act is administered by the Home Office in England, Scotland and Wales and by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland.
	The Act has a three-level licensing system: those carrying out scientific procedures must hold personal licences, which ensures that they are qualified and suitable; the programme of work must be authorised in a project licence; and the place at which the work is carried out must hold a certificate of designation. Home Office inspectors appointed under the Act monitor compliance with the terms and conditions of licences and certificates.
	Comprehensive statistics on the use of animals under the Act are published annually. Copies are deposited in the House Library. For convenience the numbers of animals used between 1996 and 2006 (the last year for which figures are available) are shown in the table. We do not collect information about the disposal of animals but the majority of animals used in procedures regulated under the 1986 Act are humanely killed on completion of the work in which they are involved in accordance with the requirements of the Act and relevant project licence conditions. Animals taken into brief captivity for the performance of minor regulated procedures are released to the wild provided that the animals will not be at a biological disadvantage as a result of the regulated procedure performed or of its time in captivity and provided that the animals are certified as fit to be released by a veterinary surgeon or a suitably qualified person.
	
		
			  Living animals used in scientific procedures regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 
			   Total animal usage 
			 1996 2,646,026 
			 1997 2,573,088 
			 1998 2,593,587 
			 1999 2,569,295 
			 2000 2,642,993 
			 2001 2,567,713 
			 2002 2,655,876 
			 20Q3 2,791,781 
			 2004 2,778,692 
			 2005 2,812,850 
			 2006 2,946,624

Animal Experiments: Licensing

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many companies were project licence holders for the conduct of scientific procedures on living animals in each of the last 10 years.

Meg Hillier: Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, project licences are granted to named individuals and not to companies. Comprehensive statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain regulated by the 1986 Act are published annually and are placed in the House Library. These include details of project licences in force at the end of each year in various categories of designated establishment, one of which is commercial. The following table gives full details from 1996 to 2006 (the latest year for which figures are available).
	
		
			  Licensees reporting procedures by type of establishment (England, Scotland and Wales) 1996-2006 
			   Public health labs  Universities  Quangos  NHS hospitals  Government Departments  Non-profit making  Commercial  Total 
			 1996 24 2,270 276 58 97 80 444 3,249 
			 1997 32 2,281 286 45 90 95 503 3,332 
			 1998 28 2,354 288 40 90 87 439 3,326 
			 1999 23 2,012 259 39 88 86 424 2,931 
			 2000 23 1,956 248 36 81 86 412 2,842 
			 2001 21 1,908 245 30 79 95 388 2,766 
			 2002 26 1,899 252 36 89 111 404 2,817 
			 2003 23 1,953 273 34 85 96 365 2,829 
			 2004 18 1,766 254 26 102 93 328 2,587 
			 2005 15 1,693 30 85 236 105 313 2,477 
			 2006 26 2,365 294 40 105 88 478 3,396

Crime: Young People

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibilities her Department has in relation to tackling youth crime and antisocial behaviour.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office is the lead department responsible for reducing all crime, including youth crime, and tackling anti-social behaviour. We work closely with other Government Departments, including the Department for Children, Schools and Families on parenting interventions, youth crime prevention, and early intervention; with the Crown Prosecution Service on prosecuting offences; and with the Ministry of Justice on the courts and the use of custody and other disposals. To do so, we provide funding, guidance and leadership to frontline services, such as the police and local authorities, in partnership with other agencies.
	Specifically, the Home Office has supported crime prevention programmes, including;
	Positive Futures - Around 22,000 young people are currently involved in Positive Futures projects nationwide
	Safer Schools Partnerships (SSPs) a joint DCSF/Home Office initiative which provides a successful mechanism for ensuring structured joint working between schools and police - there are now over 500 SSPs across the country.
	Youth Offending Team prevention programmes, which are estimated to have engaged with more than 50,000 children and young people at on the cusp of offending and 11,000 parents since 2006. Programmes include:
	114 youth inclusion programmes (YIPs), which engage hard-to-reach young people from deprived neighbourhoods who are identified as most at risk of offending through positive activities
	220 youth inclusion and support panels (YISPs), which seek to ensure access to mainstream services;
	84 parenting support services.

Deportation

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) removals following a deportation order and  (b) administrative removals there were from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The breakdown has not been available since 2002, but information prior to 2003 has been published in Table 6.2 of the Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2006 Command Paper.

Members: Correspondence

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer Question 172036 tabled by the hon. Member for North West Cambridgeshire on 3 December 2007, on the identity card scheme.

Meg Hillier: I replied to the hon. Member on 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 584W.

National Security

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 14 November 2007,  Official Report, column 670, on national security, on the establishment of a new unit bringing together police and security intelligence and research, what estimate has been made of the cost of the unit; whether it will replace the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre; and what steps have been taken in the establishment of the unit to date.

Jacqui Smith: The establishment of a new team within JTAC to help support Government's Prevent strategy will enhance the work of JTAC not replace it. The team is in the process of being established and the costs will be met from the Home Office's counter-terrorism budget set out in the recent CSR.

Passports

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it took on average for each of the passport issuing offices in the United Kingdom to process a passport to applicants in 2006.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 1 February 2008
	Average processing time for straightforward properly completed postal passport applications by issuing office in 2006 is as follows:
	
		
			  Regional office  Average working days 
			 London 2.85 
			 Liverpool 4.41 
			 Peterborough 4.24 
			 Newport 3.39 
			 Glasgow 4.71 
			 Belfast 5.30 
			 Durham 3.92 
		
	
	The London regional office were processing small volumes of postal work during January and February in 2006. However, London deal primarily with applications made in person.

Passports

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports were processed in regional passport offices per week  (a) in the latest year for which figures are available and  (b) in each of the previous five years.

Meg Hillier: The table placed in the House Library shows the weekly output of each regional passport office for each week from 2002 until 2007.

Passports: Belfast

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports were issued by the Belfast Passport Office in 2007.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 7 March 2008
	 The number of passports issued by the Identity and Passports Service (IPS) Belfast office in calendar year 2007 was 380,455.

Passports: Glasgow

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports the Glasgow Passport Office processed per week in peak periods  (a) in the latest year for which figures are available and  (b) two years previously.

Meg Hillier: The following tables show output for Glasgow during the peak periods.
	
		
			  Glasgow, 2002 
			  Week ending  Number 
			 17 March 14,628 
			 24 March 11,077 
			 31 March 14,051 
			 7 April 8,267 
			 14 April 13,374 
			 21 April 15,517 
			 28 April 16,049 
			 5 May 13,214 
			 12 May 10,531 
			 19 May 16,310 
			 26 May 13,593 
			 2 June 12,971 
			 9 June 6,962 
			 16 June 16,226 
			 23 June 14,227 
			 30 June 12,030 
			 7 July 14,087 
		
	
	
		
			  2003 
			  Week ending  Number 
			 2 March 16,542 
			 9 March 15,050 
			 16 March 14,447 
			 23 March 12,658 
			 30 March 16,029 
			 6 April 15,532 
			 13 April 14,174 
			 20 April 12,594 
			 27 April 10,527 
			 4 May 12,118 
			 11 May 11,010 
			 18 May 13,499 
			 25 May 16,353 
			 1 June 11,082 
			 8 June 14,179 
			 15 June 14,653 
			 22 June 19,623 
			 29 June 13,753 
			 6 July 12,405 
			 13 July 18,518 
		
	
	
		
			  2004 
			  Week ending  Number 
			 29 February 18,114 
			 7 March 13,700 
			 14 March 12,383 
			 21 March 14,384 
			 28 March 10,902 
			 4 April 12,451 
			 11 April 11,614 
			 18 April 7,490 
			 25 April 15,043 
			 2 May 14,357 
			 9 May 12,458 
			 16 May 13,235 
			 23 May 21,568 
			 30 May 15,167 
			 6 June 13,500 
			 13 June 16,207 
		
	
	
		
			  2005 
			  Week ending  Number 
			 10 April 14,118 
			 17 April 8,431 
			 24 April 11,655 
			 1 May 13,752 
			 8 May 7,027 
			 15 May 16,539 
			 22 May 16,767 
			 29 May 12,329 
			 5 June 8,318 
			 12 June 17,198 
			 19 June 8,502 
			 26 June 14,588 
			 3 July 12,817 
			 10 July 9,760 
			 17 July 14,377 
		
	
	
		
			  2006 
			  Week ending  Number 
			 12 March 12,794 
			 19 March 12,678 
			 26 March 11,850 
			 2 April 11,586 
			 9 April 9,397 
			 16 April 9,227 
			 23 April 7,748 
			 30 April 12,767 
			 7 May 11,486 
			 14 May 12,154 
			 21 May 15,127 
			 28 May 15,397 
		
	
	
		
			  2007 
			  Week ending  Number 
			 11 March 12,084 
			 18 March 10,496 
			 25 March 10,957 
			 1 April 9,902 
			 8 April 5,902 
			 15 April 8,044 
			 22 April 12,735 
			 29 April 11,972 
			 6 May 9,115 
			 13 May 8,490 
			 20 May 11,135 
			 27 May 11,987 
			 3 June 9,198 
			 10 June 11,073 
			 17 June 9,758 
			 24 June 10,764

Police: Disclosure of Information

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is external review of the type and quality of information held by the police and released by chief constables under the enhanced disclosures procedure.

Meg Hillier: Sir Rhys Davies QC is the Independent Monitor of information released from local police records as part of the Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced Disclosure procedure. Chief constables are required under Part V of the Police Act 1997 to disclose any information held in local police records that they consider relevant to an Enhanced Disclosure application. The Independent Monitor's main role is to scrutinise such information to ensure that a proper balance is struck between the rights of an individual and those of vulnerable groups.

Safegarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people subject to registration if open age sport is included in the Safegarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 18 February 2008
	I have been asked to reply.
	We have received useful feedback on the issue of under 18 year olds playing in open age sport from stakeholders in the sports sector while developing policy in this area. It is not our intention to make any activity a regulated activity unnecessarily, particularly if that means children could be denied access to a wide range of sporting activity.
	As a consequence of feedback from stakeholders we consulted on the proposal that activities relating to the teaching, training and instruction of children aged 16-17 years should not be considered to be regulated activity, where the 16 or 17 year old is part of an activity aimed at mixed age groups which include adults. The consultation closed on 20 February 2008 and we will be analysing the responses including those from the sports sector to feed into the formal Government report. It would be wrong to pre-empt the results of this process.
	The Department for Children Schools and Families, the Department of Health and the Home Office will continue to consult widely with stakeholders including sports bodies and will continue working with the Department for Culture Media and Sport to help inform Regulations and prepare for implementation of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Finance

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1848W, on animals: diseases, what the animal health and welfare budget is for  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09,  (c) 2009-10 and  (d) 2010-11.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Animal Health and Welfare budget for 2007-08 is 404 million and the indicative figures for 2008-09 are 394 million. Detailed figures for 2009-10 and 2010-11 are not yet available.

Animal Welfare: Finance

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1848W, on animals: diseases, what proportion of the 121 million reduction to his Department's animal health and welfare budget will be made up of  (a) efficiency savings and  (b) transfers and charges.

Jonathan R Shaw: Based on our current plans, we estimate that around two thirds of the annual saving of 121 million by 2010-11 should be achieved through efficiency savings, with the remaining third through transfers and charges.

Bluetongue Disease

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to fund research into blue tongue vaccines other than those for the BTV-8 strain.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA currently has no plans to invest in vaccines for use in bluetongue serotypes other than serotype 8 (BTV-8). This strain arrived in East and South East England in September 2007.
	We will keep this under active review in the light of vaccine developments and veterinary risk assessment of the likely spread of other serotypes.

Bluetongue Disease

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent mild winter on the likely prevalence of blue tongue.

Jonathan R Shaw: Bluetongue disease is spread from animal to animal via the bites of midges.
	During the winter, midge activity is at its lowest, and low temperatures mean that virus does not replicate in the midges. Therefore, because of a very low risk of disease transmission, we declared a vector-free period on 20 December 2007. Based on the assessment of meteorological data and historic vector (midge) trapping, this period will end on 15 March. As temperatures increase and midges become more active, we may expect to see the disease re-emerge this year.
	Experiences in Northern Europe in 2007 showed that the virus reappeared in June/July. Given our similar climate, we are preparing on the basis of a similar scenario in the UK this year. Cases of bluetongue identified during the winter, and subsequent amendments to the restricted zones mean that we are confident that the disease is currently contained within the protection zone.
	Further information about our control and vaccination strategy is available on the DEFRA website.

Bluetongue Disease

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's strategy is for informing livestock owners that blue tongue vaccines will be available if there is a deterioration in the current blue tongue situation.

Jonathan R Shaw: The UK's Bluetongue Emergency Vaccination Delivery Plan, published on 18 February, sets out how mass vaccination can be achieved through a voluntary approach. This is coupled with an industry-led campaign promoting the importance of vaccination.
	DEFRA will play an active role in supporting the communications strategy.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Finance

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was received by his Department from the sale of meat from cattle slaughtered as a result of bovine tuberculosis testing in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 10 March 2008
	The amount of money received by the Government from the sale of the cattle slaughtered in England, as a result of bovine tuberculosis control measures from 2004-05 to 2006-07 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Amount received ( million) 
			 2004-05 3.1 
			 2005-06 4.9 
			 2006-07 1.1

Bovine Tuberculosis: Finance

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid by his Department to  (a) abattoirs and  (b) others for the slaughter and disposal of cattle slaughtered under bovine tuberculosis testing in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 10 March 2008
	DEFRA does not pay abattoirs directly for the slaughter and disposal of cattle under TB control measures. Abattoirs take a payment from the money received from the sale of slaughtered cattle.
	The following table sets out the amount paid to others by DEFRA for the haulage, slaughter and disposal of cattle slaughtered in England under bovine tuberculosis control measures from 2004-05 to 2006-07.
	
		
			  Financial year  Amount paid ( million) 
			 2004-05 1.2 
			 2005-06 1.7 
			 2006-07 1.1

Bovine Tuberculosis: Finance

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spent on each budgetary heading for  (a) bovine tuberculosis measures and  (b) animal health and welfare in each of the last three years; and how much it plans to spend on each heading in each year of the new Comprehensive Spending Review period.

Jonathan R Shaw: Annual expenditure by DEFRA on bovine tuberculosis (bTB) from 2004-05 to 2006-07 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   million 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Cattle testing 36.4 36.7 37.8 
			 Randomised Badger Culling Trial 7.2 6.2 1.6 
			 Compensation 35.0 40.4 24.5 
			 Surveillance activity by the Veterinary Laboratory Agency 4.9 7.5 6.4 
			 Other Research 5.7 6.5 7.8 
			 HQ/Overheads 1.3 1.8 1.7 
		
	
	We are unable to provide an accurate forecast of expenditure on bTB in each year of the new comprehensive spending review period as budgets have not yet been finalised.
	The amount spent by DEFRA on animal health and welfare in each of the last three years can be found in the 2007 departmental report. This is available on the DEFRA website.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether personal data for which his Department is responsible are  (a) stored and  (b) processed overseas; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: No personal data for which this Department are responsible are stored or processed overseas.

Departmental Databases

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether  (a) companies based in the United States and  (b) UK subsidiaries of US companies have been contracted by his Department and its agencies to provide services involving the use, storage, processing or analysis of databases of personal information held by the Government on UK citizens in the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: My Department, including its agencies, has no contract with US registered service providers or a UK subsidiary of a US registered service provider for information storage, processing or analysis.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of his Department's activities will be discontinued following the recent budget pressures referred to by the Minister for Sustainable Farming, Food and Animal Welfare in evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on 3 March 2007.

Jonathan R Shaw: In setting a balanced budget for 2008-09 DEFRA has prioritised all its activities. The need to prioritise activities necessitates a review of the extent, timing and way we deliver our services in order to maximise value for money within the available budget. Hence we shall be reviewing the support we provide to business, consumers and the public sector in the drive towards a low carbon and resource efficient economy.

Departmental Public Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to his Department's budget.

Jonathan R Shaw: The UK Government are supportive of efforts to achieve gender equality and continue to work very closely with both the Women's National Commission and the Women's Budget Group on promoting gender equality within the UK.
	In 2004, HM Treasury undertook a pilot project on gender analysis of expenditure with the Women's Budget Group. The project demonstrated the value of gender analysis in some areas and identified what tools and expertise were necessary within Government to carry out gender analysis, but that further work was needed before gender responsive budgeting could be implemented.
	In 2008, HM Treasury will be conducting further work that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate departmental expenditure statistics by gender. DEFRA will engage in this HM Treasury-led work as required.

Departmental Retirement

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in his Department retired on grounds of stress-related illness in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: Fewer than five staff in DEFRA retired due to stress-related illness in each of the last three years. The precise numbers cannot be supplied on grounds of confidentiality.
	The current sickness absence management policy with supporting procedural documentation is also being redeveloped to ensure that it supports employee attendance at work as effectively as possible. A StressWeb is available for employee information through the health and safety intranet based website. It includes a stress policy and it is planned to update this document during 2008. DEFRA is currently in the process of revising its policies for managing attendance.
	In addition, there is a wide range of support available to staff both via the Intranet and through the outsourced Occupational Health and Employee Support Service which provides a range of support services including telephone and face to face counselling.

Departmental Sick Leave

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of working days lost by his Department's staff was attributed to stress-related conditions in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: In the year ending on 31 December 2007, 7.7 per cent. of the working days lost by DEFRA staff were recorded as being due to stress.
	The current sickness absence management policy with supporting procedural documentation is also being redeveloped to ensure that it supports employee attendance at work as effectively as possible. A StressWeb is available for employee information through the health and safety intranet based website. It includes a stress policy and it is planned to update this document during 2008. DEFRA is currently in the process of revising its policies for managing attendance.
	In addition, there is a wide range of support available to staff both via the Intranet and through the outsourced Occupational Health and Employee Support Service which provides a range of support services including telephone and face to face counselling.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what average hourly rate his Department and its predecessors paid to employment agencies for agency staff in each year since 1999, broken down by employment agency.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA came into being in June 2001. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 the core Department holds the following average hourly charge rate data:
	
		
			  Hourly r ate () 
			   Adecco  Office Angels  Brook Street  Kelly Services 
			 2007 10.23 10.56 n/a n/a 
			 2006 9.47 (1)10.33 11.72 10.75 
			 2005 9.33 n/a 10.74 8.04 
			 (1) October to December. 
		
	
	The average hourly rate charge varies from firm to firm because it is dependent on the total charge(s) divided by the total numbers of hours worked.

Departmental Travel

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to answer questions  (a) 181609 and  (b) 181524 on departmental travel, tabled on 21 January 2008 by the hon. Member for Taunton; and what the reason for the time taken to respond is.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 3 March 2008
	These questions were answered on 6 and 10 March respectively.

Departmental Written Questions

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of Parliamentary questions for answer on a named day to his Department received a  (a) holding and  (b) substantive answer on the named day in each year since 2001.

Jonathan R Shaw: Records for the parliamentary sessions 2001-02 and 2002-03 were not maintained in such a way as to enable the Department to extract the information requested without incurring disproportionate costs.
	
		
			  Session  Total named day parliamentary questions  Holding answers issued  Substantive answer on the due date 
			 2003-04 626 524 102 
			 2004-05 269 187 82 
			 2005-06 934 619 315 
			 2006-07 791 406 385 
		
	
	My ministerial colleagues and I aim to ensure that hon. Members receive a substantive response to their named day questions on the due day. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.

Departmental Written Questions

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many written questions to his Department had not received an answer as at 25 February 2008 for  (a) between two and four,  (b) between four and six,  (c) between six and eight and  (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer.

Jonathan R Shaw: Our records are not maintained in such a way as to enable the Department to extract the information requested without incurring disproportionate costs.
	However, our records show the following:
	
		
			  Parliamentary questions received by 25 February 2008 
			   Written  Named day 
			 Total PQs 1,618 395 
			 PQs answered on time 1,050 165 
			 1 day late 119 56 
			 2-5 days late 229 124 
			 6-10 days late 129 25 
			 11 days late 91 25 
		
	
	My ministerial colleagues and I aim to ensure that hon. Members receive a substantive response to their named day questions on the due day. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on the removal of management plans from the Entry Level Stewardship schemes; how many farmers he estimates have been affected; and what alternative schemes he plans to bring forward to encourage environmentally-friendly farming.

Jonathan R Shaw: Four management plan optionsfor nutrients, soil, crop protection products and manurewere removed from the list of 62 available options under Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) following discussions with the EU Commission as part of the process of EU approval of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), under which ELS is funded. This was in response to concerns that these options did not require agreement holders to do more than would be required of them under cross compliance or part of good agricultural and environmental practice and would not therefore justify additional payment.
	However, ELS agreements entered into before 1 January 2007 will not be affected by the change and these management plans will continue to attract appropriate payments for the remaining life of agreements.
	A number of industry stakeholders have since raised concerns, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), Country Land and Business Association (CLA), Agricultural Industries Confederation, Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) and Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG).
	Of the 5,400 provisional agreements entered into from 1 January 2007, around 2,600 include management plans options and around 1,800 of these will no longer have sufficient surplus points to meet the points threshold now that management plan options are not available. Natural England, which delivers the scheme, has contacted all agreement holders and is working closely with those affected to help ensure that they are able to remain in ELS. The latest advice from Natural England suggests that most agreement holders want to remain in the scheme and will choose new options to achieve the required threshold.
	It is important to bear in mind that even with the removal of management plans, ELS remains largely unchanged and, with over 30,000 farmers already signed up covering 50 per cent. of farmland in England, the scheme should continue to deliver key environmental outcomes. And with 58 options remaining available, farmers wanting to join ELS should still be able to do so.

Nature Conservation: Biodiversity

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans he has to replace the Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Action Fund; and what guidance he is providing to organisations that were in receipt of financial assistance from the fund on alternative funding streams;
	(2)  if he will make an assessment of the likely effect on  (a) landscapes important for biodiversity and  (b) employment of the ending of the Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Action Fund.

Joan Ruddock: Natural England will make an announcement about any successor scheme to Countdown 2010 in April. However, Natural England will shortly launch Access to Nature, a 25 million grant scheme jointly funded with the Big Lottery. Many projects previously funded by Countdown 2010 will be eligible for this new scheme and guidance about the grant scheme can be found on Natural England's website. Natural England is also seeking to identify additional funding for priority biodiversity habitats and species.
	I expect Natural England to evaluate the likely impact on landscapes rich in biodiversity, which results from the end of the Countdown 2010 grant scheme. This evaluation will help to inform how Natural England determines priorities for its grant-in-aid in 2008-09.
	As all existing Countdown 2010 projects were for a two-year period, I do not anticipate that their conclusion will have any effect on permanent employment.

Orders and Regulations

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to business of complying with his Department's regulations in each of the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: In accordance with the Better Regulation Executive's guidance, the Department ensures that published regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) and impact assessments (IAs) are accessible via its website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/impact-assessment/index.htm
	RIAs/IAs include a cost and benefit analysis and information on individual regulations is therefore available from the DEFRA website. The Department does not currently aggregate that data but is looking to improve both data collation and analysis, as well as post implementation reviews, in the context of introducing an updated policy-cycle framework.
	However, it needs to borne in mind that policy costs, in isolation, give a distorted picture of the impact of regulations as they need to be weighed against likely benefits to business, society, the environment, biodiversity, and animal health and welfare, and these will be different in each case.

Waste Disposal: Domestic Wastes

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what powers waste collection authorities conducting pilot studies have to require the use by residents of  (a) receptacles and  (b) bags for the collection of household waste that the authority provides and charges for; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 local authorities can serve notices requiring residents to use specified receptacles. Local authorities running waste incentive pilot schemes will be able to use their existing powers to specify the type of bin or bag in which residents must put their waste. The same powers of enforcement for non-compliance for such requirements will also be available to pilot authorities: i.e. an authority could bring a prosecution or, more likely, offer an individual the option of paying a fixed penalty notice. Experience shows that the most effective means of encouraging compliance with any waste collection scheme is good engagement and communications with local residents.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many non-resident parents registered with the Child Support Agency are living abroad; and what proportion of them were making payments to the parent with care in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many non-resident parents registered with the Child Support Agency are living abroad; and what proportion of them are making payments to the parent with care in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.
	The requested information is provided in the attached table.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Number of cases where the non-resident parent is living abroad 
			   Cases where the non-resident parent lives abroad  Percentage of cases making a payment 
			 December 2004 9,800 18 
			 December 2005 7,600 21 
			 December 2006 6,700 24 
			 December 2007 6,200 25 
			  Notes: 1. The figures in the table show the number of cases where the non-resident parent is living abroad. This includes all cases where there is either a nil or positive assessment in place in the quarter to December. 2. The Agency's Quarterly Summary of Statistics (table 25) sets out the number of non-resident parents that are recorded on CS2 as living abroad. These figures include all cases where the Agency is aware that the non-resident parent is living abroad. 3. The percentage of cases making a payment includes those cases where the non-resident parent is making a payment via the Agency or where a maintenance direct agreement is in place in the quarter to December. 4. The figures in the table include cases on the CS2 computer system only. No information is available on CS2 for cases where the non-resident parent was living abroad prior to 2004. 5. No information is available for cases recorded on the CSCS computer system where the non-resident parent lives abroad. 6. The table details the number of cases where the non-resident parent lives abroad. A non-resident parent may have more than one case with the Agency. 7. The figures in the table are rounded to the nearest 100.

Child Support Agency

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of repayment schedules agreed with the Child Support Agency have been over  (a) 10,  (b) 20,  (c) 30 and  (d) 50.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Child Support Agency

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Child Support Agency acknowledges requests from the non-resident parent for a change of circumstances review; what the target time is for completion of such a review from the date of receipt; and what the average time taken was for completion of such a review from date of receipt in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Child Support Agency acknowledges requests from the non-resident parent for a change of circumstances review; what the target time is for completion of such a review from the date of receipt; and what the average time taken was for completion of such a review from date of receipt in the latest period for which figures are available.
	The Agency has recently begun to publish data concerning change of circumstances requests by case in Table 29 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary Statistics, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library, or on the internet via the following link: www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/child_support/csa_quarterly_dec07.asp.
	Change of circumstances requests cover a number of different areas including change of address, change of employer, changes to income, number of people living in the household and whether a parent is in receipt of benefits. Only around 10 per cent of changes of circumstances affect collection schedules. As a change of circumstance can potentially affect more than one case, and a case can have multiple changes of circumstances outstanding, the Agency records the number of requests and not cases.
	The Agency does not record whether the request was generated by the non-resident parent or the parent with care.
	On average the Agency receives almost 190,000 requests per month and so is unable to acknowledge receipt of a change of circumstance request.
	The Agency does not currently have a published target for the time taken to clear a change of circumstance. Robust information concerning the average time taken to clear a change of circumstance is not available. However, since March 2003, 97 per cent. of the changes of circumstances requests received by the Agency have been cleared.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the median child maintenance liability as assessed by the Child Support Agency was in each of the last 13 years.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the median child maintenance liability as assessed by the Child Support Agency was in each of the last 13 years.
	The attached table shows the median positive weekly maintenance liability for the period November 1995 to December 2007. Data prior to this is not available. The overall Agency median weekly liability has decreased since 2003 as a result of the increased proportion of new scheme cases, which have lower maintenance liabilities, relative to the old scheme. There has also been an increase in the proportion of cases assessed as having no maintenance liability across both schemes. Despite the decrease in median weekly liability, the Agency collected or arranged nearly 975 million in maintenance in the twelve months to December 2007 meaning that more children in more cases now benefit from maintenance than ever before.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Median positive weekly maintenance liability 
			   Median positive weekly liability ()  Proportion of nil assessed cases (percentage) 
			  Month  Old scheme  New scheme  Overall agency  Old scheme  New scheme  Overall agency 
			 November 1995 47.00 n/a 47.00 23 n/a 23 
			 November 1996 44.00 n/a 44.00 32 n/a 32 
			 November 1997 44.00 n/a 44.00 39 n/a 39 
			 November 1998 43.00 n/a 43.00 44 n/a 44 
			 November 1999 42.00 n/a 42.00 45 n/a 45 
			 November 2000 41.00 n/a 41 .00 47 n/a 47 
			 November 2001 41.00 n/a 41.00 47 n/a 47 
			 November 2002 41.00 n/a 41.00 48 n/a 48 
			 December 2003 42.00 27.00 40.00 50 17 48 
			 December 2004 42.00 26.00 37.00 51 14 45 
			 December 2005 41.00 24.00 33.00 52 16 43 
			 December 2006 41.00 23.00 31.00 55 18 41 
			 December 2007 41.00 25.00 30.00 58 19 40 
			  Notes: 1. Includes all cases with a positive assessment as at end of December each year from 2003 and at end of November each year prior to this. 2. Median weekly liability is at month end for each relevant month. 3. Weekly liability rounded to the nearest . 4. The latest available data is at December 2007. Data prior to November 1995 is not available.

Child Support Agency: Compensation

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in compensation for Child Support Agency maladministration in each of the last 10 years; and how many cases were involved in each year.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid in compensation for Child Support Agency maladministration in each of the last 10 years; and how many cases were involved in each year.
	Financial redress is made to clients in cases where maladministration has occurred. The table below provides information on the total consolatory payments made to clients in each of the last ten years. This information has been published in the Child Support Agency Annual Report  Accounts. The number of cases for 1997/98 to 1999/2000 were not separately disclosed in the Child Support Agency Annual Report and Accounts.
	
		
			  Financial year  Compensation to clients (including interest payments) ( million)  Number of cases 
			 1997-98 1.101  
			 1998-99 4.351  
			 1999-2000 3.075  
			 2000-01 3.053 8,908 
			 2001-02 2.590 10,006 
			 2002-03 2.478 10,090 
			 2003-04 2.331 6,863 
			 2004-05 3.009 9,118 
			 2005-06 4.138 13,991 
			 2006-07 3.709 15,420 
		
	
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Compensation

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants owed compensation by the Child Support Agency (CSA) are awaiting payment of compensation from each of the last five years; and how much the CSA owes in such compensation for each of those years.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 7 March 2008
	 The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants owed compensation by the Child Support Agency (CSA) are awaiting payment of compensation from each of the last five years; and how much the CSA owes in such compensation for each of those years.
	The Child Support Agency operates a discretionary, non-statutory scheme providing financial redress for maladministration. Awards may be made to redress any financial losses incurred and can include consolatory payments made by way of an apology for delay, inconvenience, worry and distress caused.
	The Agency will consider whether such payments are appropriate either by request or in the course of resolving a complaint. As such, there is only a short delay between the decision to make a payment and any such payment being made.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Complaints

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many telephone complaints have been received by the Child Support Agency from people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) the UK in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many written complaints have been received by the Child Support Agency from people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	, and;
	How many written complaints have been received by the Child Support Agency by people in (a) Jarrow constituency (b) South Tyneside (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.
	Information on the number of complaints received is not collated at parliamentary constituency, local authority or regional level. Information on the total number of written and telephone complaints received is set out in the attached tables. Written complaints include complaints received by letter, fax or email.
	It should be noted that it is difficult to use this information to make meaningful comparisons over time due to changes in the way that information has been recorded. In particular, whilst the volume of complaints undoubtedly rose between 2002-03 and 2003-04, this is likely to have been due in part to more rigorous recording of complaints received at the time, and the introduction by the Agency of a three tier complaints process during 2003-04.
	Since April 2006, as a result of the improvements to client service made under the Operational Improvement Plan the number of complaints received has fallen. In addition the Agency revised and simplified the complaints process from April 2007, removing a tier from the resolution process and introducing specialist case workers responsible for resolving all aspects of our clients' complaints.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Child Support Agency complaintsnumber of complaints received in the Agency 1997 to 2007 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Stage 1 complaints received (Written)(7) 27,875 28,073 21,015 19,634 15,493 15,182 24,809 29,213 27,344 21,719 
			 Stage 1 Complaints received (telephone)(7) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (2) 7,458 10,570 10,660 7,560 
			 Chief Executive Complaints (3) (3) (3) 4,096 4,555 7,096 (4) (5) 5,887 3,769 
			 Treat Official Complaints(6) (3) (3) (3) 2,609 2,869 1,344 1,521 1,108 1,278 998 
			 MP Complaints (3) (3) (3) 4,175 4,818 4,537 5,317 8,871 9,729 9,151 
			 (1) Whilst the Agency did receive telephone complaints prior to 2002-03, their volumes were not recorded. (2) Although 671 stage 1 telephone complaints were recorded between December 2002 and March 2003, their volumes were not recorded throughout the whole year, thus preventing meaningful comparison with later years. (3) Whilst the Agency did receive complaints directly to the chief executive, treat official complaints, and MP complaints to business units prior to 2000-01, their volumes were not recorded. (4) During 2003-04 complaints sent directly to the chief executive were not recorded separately from those complaints that were escalated to him as part of the 3-stage process. Therefore, although 7,183 complaints in total were received during 2003-04, it is not possible to separate out those complaints received by the chief executive directly (as opposed to those escalated via the complaints process), thus preventing meaningful comparison with data for earlier years. (5) In April and May of 2004, the chief executive received a total of 1,447 complaints however, is not possible to separate out those complaints received by the chief executive directly, as opposed to those escalated to stage 3 of the complaints process). From June 2004-March 2005, after which time such complaints were recorded separately, the chief executive received 4,393 direct complaints and 2,594 complaints escalated upwards from stage 2. Again, these recording issues prevent meaningful comparison of this category with earlier years. (6) Treat official letters are those received by a Minister from a member of the public, and referred for initial consideration to an official of the Agency. (7) Changes to how the Agency recorded complaints over the years means that comparisons of the numbers of complaints received are not easily made. The Agency initially operated a two tier complaints process to deal with escalated complaints. A third tier was introduced in 2003, - see notes (4) and (5). In the year ending March 2006, 7167 stage 1 complaints required escalation to resolve and 4,673 in year ending March 2007.

Child Support Agency: Complaints

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints have been made about the Child Support Agency  (a) by people in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) nationally in the last two years.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints have been made about the Child Support Agency (a) by people in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) nationally in the last two years.
	Information on the number of complaints received is not collated at parliamentary constituency, local authority or regional level. Information on the number of complaints received nationally by the Agency is set out in the attached tables.
	Since April 2006, as a result of the improvements to client service made under the Operational Improvement Plan the number of complaints received has fallen. In addition the Agency revised and simplified the complaints process from April 2007, removing a tier from the resolution process and introducing specialist case workers responsible for resolving all aspects of our clients' complaints.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Child Support Agencynumber of complaints received by the Agency 2005 to 2007 
			   2005-06  2006-07 
			 Stage 1 complaints received(1) 38,004 29,279 
			 Chief Executive Complaints 5,887 3,769 
			 Treat Official Complaints(2) 1,278 998 
			 MP Complaints 9,729 9,151 
			 (1) The agency operated a three tier complaints process throughout 2005-06 and 2006-07. In the year ending March 2006, 7,167 stage 1 complaints required escalation to resolve and 4,673 in year ending March 2007. (2) Treat official letters are those received by a Minister from a member of the public, and referred for initial consideration to an official of the agency.  Note: Under the Operational Improvement Plan, the agency introduced a new complaints resolution process from April 2007. This simplified process has just two stages; the number of complains received for 2007-08 will be published in the agency's annual report and accounts.

Child Support Agency: Finance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the running costs of the Child Support Agency were in each of the last 10 years.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the running costs of the Child Support Agency were in each of the last 10 years.
	The information requested is provided in the attached table.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Child Support Agency's running costs years 1997-98 to 2006-07 
			  Financial year   million 
			 1997-98 225.9 
			 1998-99 231.2 
			 1999-2000 266.7 
			 2000-01 298.3 
			 2001-02 361.9 
			 2002-03 428.9 
			 2003-04 451.6 
			 2004-05 425.6 
			 2005-06 465.2 
			 2006-07 520.3 
			  Notes: 1. All information from the 2005-06 and earlier years is sourced from the Child Support Agency Annual Report and Accounts. 2. In 2005-06 following National Audit Office advice the agency's accounting, boundaries were changed resulting in the inclusion of Child Support Reform Programme costs in the Agency's Annual Accounts. The 2005-06 accounts and the 2004-05 comparatives were changed accordingly. In line with this policy the table includes Child Support Reform costs from 1999-2000 onwards. 3. 2005-06 and 2006-07 includes investment for the Operational Improvement Plan.

Children: Maintenance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will break down the number of non-resident parents from whom the Child Support Agency is seeking to collect maintenance arrears by  (a) age of their debt and  (b) the amounts owed within each age of debt band.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter of the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 12 March 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of Sate promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will break down the number of non-resident parents from whom the Child Support Agency is seeking to collect maintenance arrears by (a) age of their debt and (b) the amounts owed within each of debt age band.
	The Agency reports the amount of outstanding debt in its Annual Report and Accounts, the latest version of which is held in the House of Commons library. The information requested is supplementary to that reported and therefore the additional analysis provided in the attached table does not include the provisions applied as a result of the annual debt analysis exercise within the Agency's accounts.
	The original Child Support Computer System (CSCS) does not record the age of outstanding arrears. This means that the age of any debt accrued on that system including debt on cases subsequently migrated to the new computer system (CS2) can not be reported. The tables provided therefore are restricted to a breakdown of debt accrued on CS2, and summary totals for debt held on CSCS and for debt accrued on CSCS which has since been migrated from CSCS to CS2.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Number of non resident parents with outstanding debt accrued on CS2, and amount of debt outstanding by age band: November 2007 
			  Age of debt  Amount of debt outstanding ( millions)  Number of non resident parents 
			 0-3 Months 93 (1)411,900 
			 3-6 Months 75 (1)306,400 
			 6-9 Months 69 (1)282,100 
			 9-12 Months 66 (1)260,300 
			 12-18 Months 123 (1)271,100 
			 18-24 Months 118 (1)239,200 
			 24-36 months 202 (1)222,800 
			 36-48 Months 158 (1)142,000 
			 48 Months+ 134 (1)72,800 
			 Total 1,038  
			 (1) Each non-resident parent may be included in several lines. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of non resident parents with outstanding debt migrated from CSCS to CS2 and amount of debt outstanding: November 2007 
			 Amount of debt outstanding ( millions) 622 
			 Number of non resident parents 55,900 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of non resident parents with outstanding debt on CSCS and amount of debt outstanding: November 2007 
			 Amount of debt outstanding ( millions) 2,125 
			 Number of non resident parents 349,200 
			  Notes: 1. A non resident parent has been recorded within each time band in which they have debt outstanding in e.g. if they have debt that is less than three months old, debt that is 3-6 months old, and debt that is 6-9 months old they will be counted in all three age bands. Therefore the number of NRPs given in the answer cannot be totalled to show the number of NRPs with outstanding debt. 2. If a NRP also has debt which has migrated from CSCS to CS2, they will be counted again in this category. 3. The number of NRPs has been rounded to the nearest hundred; the amount of outstanding debt has been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand. 4. The Agency reports the amount of outstanding debt in its Annual Report and Accounts. The information set out in these tables is supplementary to that reported and therefore does not include the provisions applied as a result of the annual debt analysis exercise within the Agency's accounts. 5. The Agency conducts an annual debt analysis exercise to estimate the collectability of the amounts outstanding at the end of each year. The Agency estimates that of the 3.7 billion total debt outstanding at March 2007, 1.5 billion is classed as collectable.

Departmental Computer Software

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1012W, on departmental computer software, the source code of which software  (a) is and  (b) is not held in escrow.

Stephen Timms: The Department has 212 applications contracted for maintenance and support. Of these, source code for applications that are bespoke to DWP and considered mission critical, i.e. considered absolutely essential for the Department's business, are held in escrow. These are list  (a). Source code for applications that are not bespoke or considered mission critical are not currently held in escrow. These are list  (b).
	The information in lists  (a) and  (b) has been placed in the Library (Annex 1).

Homelessness: Departmental Coordination

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what policy co-ordination takes place between his Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure that the housing benefit system supports the Government's objectives on homelessness prevention.

James Plaskitt: The Department for Work and Pensions works closely with Communities and Local Government on a wide range of issues, including the impact of housing benefit (HB) policy on homelessness.
	HB enables tenants to pay their rent when they are not working or are living on a low income. This helps to avoid households being evicted from their accommodation as a result of rent arrears and subsequently becoming homeless.
	In November last year, the two departments signed a groundbreaking cross-departmental agreement to work together in partnership. The two departments agreed to focus on working together on a number of shared priority outcomesto ensure full employment and reduced welfare dependency; make Britain a more equal society, promoting equality (including employment equality); reduce levels of poverty and social exclusion, particularly child poverty and poverty among older people; build strong, empowered local communities; tackle worklessness amongst social sector tenants and homeless people, and promote greater independence and well being in later life.
	Prevention of homelessness has a key part to play in the achievement of these outcomes.

Housing Benefit

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the likely effect of restricting the back-dating of  (a) housing benefit and  (b) pension credit on (i) homelessness, (ii) eviction levels and (iii) pensioner poverty.

James Plaskitt: Before any changes to pension credit, housing and council tax benefit are presented to Parliament we will complete a full equality impact assessment as we required to do by law in respect of disability, race and gender. This assessment will consider the likely impact on various client groups.
	The results will be published and should be available in spring 2008. We will carefully consider the outcome of the assessment and determine what further action, if any, might be appropriate.

Income

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the  (a) number and  (b) proportion of UK households living below (i) 60 per cent., (ii) 50 per cent. and (iii) 40 per cent. of the median household income are eligible for, but not in receipt of, child maintenance payments;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the  (a) number and  (b) proportion of children who are living in households below (i) 60 per cent., (ii) 50 per cent. and (iii) 40 per cent. of the median household income which are eligible for, but not in receipt of, child maintenance payments;
	(3)  how many households  (a) where child maintenance is due but has not been paid and  (b) where child maintenance arrears are owed, have incomes below (i) 60 per cent., (ii) 50 per cent. and (iii) 40 per cent. of the median household income.

James Plaskitt: The Family Resources Survey is used to identify households below the different poverty thresholds. However, it is not possible to identify those households eligible for child maintenance payments from the Family Resources Survey. Only those households where child maintenance is paid can be identified, and consequently the information requested is not available.

Income Support: Polygamy

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the internal departmental review on polygamy and income support.

James Plaskitt: The internal review took the form of a number of submissions to Ministers. Advice to Ministers on the development and formulation of Government policy is not made public.

Income Support: Polygamy

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to collect statistics on the number of  (a) three person and  (b) four person polygamous unions where the members are in receipt of income support.

James Plaskitt: No; the cost of collecting and analyzing such statistics would far outweigh their usefulness. Collecting information would require significant changes to the information technology system, and the way our staff record information.
	Additionally, as current immigration rules make it very unlikely that new polygamous households could be formed in the UK, and have done so since 1988, we know that the number of such households must be decreasing over time.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what factors account for the recent changes in the number of jobseeker's allowance sanctions or disallowances;
	(2)  what guidance was issued to Jobcentre Plus in 2006-07 on the application of sanctions or disallowances; and what effect this has had on numbers of such sanctions or disallowances.

James Plaskitt: In his Budget report of 2006 the Chancellor announced a strengthening and refocusing of jobsearch reviews to make sure jobseeker's allowance is paid only to people who are able to demonstrate they have undertaken their responsibilities to look for work.
	Following that announcement, guidance was issued to Jobcentre Plus staff, stressing the importance of ensuring all contacts with people claiming jobseeker's allowance include a discussion about what they have been doing to find work. Where this raises a doubt about the adequacy of their jobsearch, a Jobcentre Plus decision maker is obliged to consider whether jobseeker's allowance is payable.
	Following the issue of this guidance there has been an increase in associated sanctions and disallowances.

Pension Education Fund: Finance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on the Pension Education Fund since the initial 26 contracts were awarded; what the duration of each of these contracts was; how much he estimates his Department will allocate to the Fund in each of the next 10 years; and how much was spent on the Fund in each year since its inception.

Mike O'Brien: The total spend on the Pensions Education Fund to 31 January 2008 is 4.5 million.
	The duration of each of the contracts is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Organisation  Contract Period 
			 Age Concern Birmingham January 2006 to December 2007 
			 Age Concern Camden January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Age Concern Ealing January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Age Concern England January 2006 to March 2008 
			 British Chambers of Commerce January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Campaign for Learning January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Communitythe Union for Life January 2006 to March 2008 
			 CVS Northampton and County January 2006 to March 2008 
			 GFTU January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Golden Gates Housing January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Life Academy January 2006 to March 2008 
			 NAPF January 2006 to March 2008 
			 NIACE January 2006 to March2008 
			 North Liverpool CAB January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Pakistan Pendle Welfare Association January 2006 to March 2008 
			 PRIME January 2006 to March 2008 
			 QED UK January 2006 to March 2008 
			 RNIB January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Royal Bath and West of England January 2006 to March 2008 
			 SAFE January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Sahara Communities Abroad January 2006 to March 2008 
			 Scottish Transport Credit Union January 2006 to March 2008 
			 TUC January 2006 to March 2008 
			 USDAW January 2006 to March 2008 
			 WEETU January 2006 to March 2008 
		
	
	The Fund was established as an exploratory time bound initiative to develop and test innovative approaches to ensuring individuals, particularly those who are at risk of under saving, have impartial and accurate information on pensions and retirement planning to make an informed choice about the retirement income they want and how they can achieve it. The Fund has been independently evaluated and a report will be published in spring of this year. The lessons learnt and evaluation findings will form part of the evidence base underpinning the development of the information strategy for pensions reform and the introduction of automatic enrolment and personal accounts from 2012.
	The spending in each financial year since the start of the Fund in January 2006 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Spend ( million) 
			 2005-06 1.2 
			 2006-07 1.6 
			 2007-08 (1)2.0 
			 (1) Estimated end of year outturn.

Pensions

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons becoming entitled to state retirement pensions opted to defer their pension payments during the latest period for which figures are available; how many of them opted for  (a) an increased weekly pension and  (b) a lump sum; how many lump sum payments were delayed for over two weeks; and whether interest is payable in such cases.

Mike O'Brien: Such information as is available is set out as follows.
	In the 12 months to March 2007, there were a total of 50,800 people who successfully claimed either a lump sum or extra pension due in respect of a deferred state pension. This figure can be broken down further: 42,300 opted for an increased weekly pension, 4,300 opted for a lump sum payment only, and 4,100 opted to combine both increments and a lump sum.
	The Pension Service has a policy to make payments as quickly as possible and does not have details of any payments subject to delays of more than two weeks. However, it is our policy that compensation in the form of interest is considered for any period of unnecessary or unreasonable delay beyond that for normal processing of the claim.
	 Notes:
	1. Data are taken from 5 per cent. extract of PSCS , therefore figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. They are also adjusted to be consistent with the overall case load from the WPLS.
	2. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest hundred, totals may not sum due to rounding
	3. Includes overseas cases.
	4. Figures include inherited increments and lump sums.
	5. The option to take a lump sum was introduced in April 2006 but only for those deferring for a minimum of 12 months.

Poverty: Children

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what further steps his Department plans to take to tackle child poverty; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The first Departmental Strategic Objective in our Three Year Business Plan, published on 28 February 2008, and available in the Library, is to reduce the number of children living in poverty. The focus will be on children living in workless households and children benefiting from child maintenance, particularly those living in low income households.
	The Government are supporting families to escape poverty by increasing employment and raising incomes for those who can work; improving parents' access to training in and out of work, and helping lone parents with older children prepare for and actively seek work. The rising trend of child poverty has already been halted; there are 600,000 fewer children living in relative poverty than in 1998-99. A further 300,000 children will be lifted out of poverty as a result of last year's Budget and comprehensive spending review.
	In December 2007, we published 'Ready for Work: full employment in our generation', which sets out the next phase of welfare reform. Lone parents who can work will be required to actively seek work, helped by a flexible system of pre-work and in-work support. This will commence for lone parents whose youngest child is 12 or over from October 2008, 10 or over from 2009, and seven or over from 2010. The Government also published the Children's Plan in December 2007 which sets out policies and measures to improve children's life chances and help to alleviate child poverty.
	As a result of changes to the personal tax and benefit system since 1997, by April 2009, families with children in the poorest fifth of the population will be, on average, 4,000 a year better off in real terms.
	The child element of Child Tax Credit will rise by 25 a year above earnings indexation in April 2008, in addition to the Budget 2007 commitment to increase the child element by 150, and it will rise by a further 25 above indexation in April 2010. The child maintenance disregard in the main income-related benefits will be doubled from 10 to 20 by the end of 2008, and doubled again from 20 to 40 in April 2010.
	Compared to 2007-08, by 2010-11 the Government will be investing an additional 2 billion a year in public services to alleviate child poverty and break cycles of deprivation, including spending on child care, schooling in deprived areas, educational attainment, health inequalities, emotional well being, disabled children and school transport.

Social Security Benefits: Employment

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what barriers to work for benefit claimants his Department has identified; and how his Department defines barriers to work.

James Plaskitt: The Department does not have an official definition of a barrier to work. In operational terms, barriers are often considered to be those factors which research shows are highly correlated with long durations on benefit.
	Those with the biggest barriers to work include:
	older workers,
	lone parents,
	people with disabilities, and
	long-term jobseeker's allowance claimants.
	Other groups facing significant barriers include:
	refugees,
	ex-offenders,
	recovering drug users,
	people with learning difficulties,
	people of no fixed abode,
	people on probation,
	people leaving care, and
	people in contact with secondary mental health services.
	Former members of HM forces also often face considerable barriers to work. In many cases individuals will have more than one of these barriers influencing their ability to gain employment.
	In addition, a key barrier to work is that many benefit claimants are not actually looking for work. An important part of the Government's Welfare Reform policy is to incentivise and encourage claimants to actively return to the labour market.
	The December 2007 report Ready for work, full employment in our generation and the January 2008 report Ready to work, skilled for work: unlocking Britain's talent set out our plans to address many of these barriers. Having previously focused on specific groups with lower employment rates, and having been largely successful in raising them, the Government are now increasingly moving to an individualised, flexible approach to ensure as many people as possible have the support they need to get into, and stay, in work.

Social Security Benefits: Essex

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families received state benefits in excess of 15,000 in  (a) Romford,  (b) Essex and  (c) Greater London in 2007.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions into what categories his Department classifies types of benefit fraud.

James Plaskitt: The categories of benefit fraud used by DWP are listed in 'Fraud and Error in the Benefits System October 2005 to September 2006'. Copies are available in the Library.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the total amount spent by his Department was on fraud prevention in each year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what his Department's budget for fraud prevention is in each financial year in the 2007 spending review period.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The overall aim of the Department's anti-fraud strategy is to have a benefit system, which is secure from first claim to final payment. The implementation of this strategy means that an anti-fraud focus is integral to the work of all staff in the Department, as is dealing with the wider agenda of error and incorrectness in benefit payments. It is therefore not possible to account for the cost of anti-fraud work separately.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding his Department allocated to campaigns to counter benefit fraud in each year for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The Department runs a number of promotional campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of rights and responsibilities. The campaigns run by the Department to counter benefit fraud are designed to positively reinforce honest behaviour, to create a climate of intolerance to benefit fraud and to undermine its social acceptability. The following table details spend on these campaigns in each of the last six complete financial years:
	
		
			   Campaign s pend  (000) 
			 2001-02 8,833 
			 2002-03 769 
			 2003-04 9,362 
			 2004-05 6,590 
			 2005-06 7,459 
			 2006-07 6,568 
			  Notes: 1.Figures given are for actual spend on the Targeting Fraud (2001 to 2002), Targeting Benefit Fraud (2003 to 2006) and Targeting Benefit Thieves (2006 to 2007) campaigns. 2.All figures are exclusive of VAT. 3.The figures in these tables refer to media spend, design, PR, production, research and any other associated costs.

Social Security Benefits: Unemployed

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average amount paid in benefits to a workless household in the UK in the last period for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The average (mean) weekly amount paid in benefits to a workless household, with at least one adult of working age, in the UK for 2005-06 was 167. The average (mean) weekly gross income for a working household was 803.
	 Source:
	Family Resources Survey, United Kingdom 2005-06

Social Security: Data Protection

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether statements containing personal data, including national insurance numbers, bank account details and the names of relatives living at home are sent to benefit claimants by Jobcentre Plus via non-registered post.

James Plaskitt: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the right hon. Gentleman with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 12 March 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking whether statements containing personal data are sent to benefit claimants by Jobcentre Plus via non-registered post. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus takes security of its customers very seriously. That is why, from 31 March 2008, we will send the majority of our Customer Statements electronically to the customers' nearest Jobcentre. They will then be able to check the accuracy of the information in the Jobcentre during their New Jobseeker Interview or work focused interview.
	These Customer Statements are provided by Jobcentre Plus at the new claim stage, and include national insurance numbers, bank account details and the names of relatives living at home. Customers are required to check the information collected via the telephone to support their claim to benefit. These statements are usually sent by first class post.
	We will only continue to send the customer statement by post where the customer's first interview is deferredfor instance those claiming Incapacity Benefit attend a work focused interview 8 weeks after their claimso that it can be verified without delaying the payment of benefit.
	Jobcentre Plus sends a number of other letters through the post also containing personal information, and over the next 12 months we are changing our computer systems to reduce the amount of personal information contained in these letters.
	For addresses known to be insecure and for those customers who do not have an address, Jobcentre Plus can arrange for these letters to be collected from the local Jobcentre.

Training: Disabled

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding his Department has provided to people with disabilities to assist them with learning to use computers in each year since 2001.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of emissions of carbon dioxide resulting from stacking over London and the South East of aircraft destined for Heathrow Airport in the last year for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of the likely amount if the proposals in the recent consultation document on possible expansion of  (a) Heathrow Airport and  (b) Stansted Airport are implemented.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 7 March 2008
	Estimates of annual emissions of carbon dioxide attributable to stack-holding over London are not held centrally. No additional estimates were undertaken for the consultation on Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the chief executive of NATS in September 2007 to encourage NATS to explore ways in which the performance of the air traffic control system can contribute to reducing aviation emissions.
	NATS is currently consulting on the Terminal Control North airspace change proposal. This area of airspace is one of the most complex in the world, with routes in and out of major airports including Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and London City. The proposed changes are designed to reduce delay while maintaining safety and improving environmental performance. The proposal is not associated with, and does not assume, future development of Heathrow, Stansted or any other airport in the region. This consultation is a matter for NATS, and I suggest the hon. Member directs any inquiries to the chief executive.

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to minimise aircraft stacking over London; and what annual emissions of carbon dioxide she estimates arises from this practice.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 22 February 2008
	The operation of air traffic control stacking procedures, when demand dictates or when services are affected by weather or other factors, is a matter for NATS, the air navigation services provider.
	We look to NATS to operate air traffic control efficiently, including minimising stacking as far as possible, consistent with their overall objectives.
	Estimates of annual emissions of carbon dioxide attributable to stack-holding over London are not held centrally.

Blue Badge Scheme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will instruct authorities responsible for parking enforcement to  (a) desist from issuing penalty notices to users who place a valid, old-style badge incorrectly and  (b) refund any penalties incurred by badge holders where they can prove their badge was valid but incorrectly displayed, following the modification in October 2007 of the Blue Badge to include a new message instructing users which way up to display the badge.

Rosie Winterton: Blue Badges must be displayed correctly in order to help parking enforcement officers to identify abuse. All badges issued after 15 October 2007 contain additional wording to help users display the correct badge.
	All badges issued before this time still contain written guidance on the correct method of display. In light of this fact, and the wide availability of the free public advice leaflet The Blue Badge Scheme: Rights and Responsibilities in England there are no plans to instruct local authorities to desist from issuing penalty notices, or to refund any penalties already issued, to users who display or have displayed badges incorrectly.

Bus Lanes: Motorcycles

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make it her policy to amend her Department's guidance to local authorities to encourage them to permit motorcycles to use bus lanes.

Rosie Winterton: In line with actions set out in the Government's Motorcycling Strategy, the Department has already amended guidance to local authorities on the use of bus lanes by motorcycles.
	In February 2007 the Department for Transport published Traffic Advisory Leaflet 2/07: The Use of Bus Lanes by Motorcycles. This makes clear to local highway authorities that it is for them to decide whether or not to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes and encourages them to make an objective assessment of the issue.
	The new guidance revises previous advice in Local Transport Note 1/97: Keeping Buses Moving, which recommended that motorcycles should not normally be permitted to use bus lanes.

Bus Services: Concessions

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on the withdrawal of concessionary bus fares for people with mental health problems as a result of the introduction of the national concessionary bus travel scheme in  (a) Derbyshire and  (b) other areas; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: A number of representations about changes to local, discretionary concessionary bus travel schemes have been directed to my Department. This includes representations about Derbyshire's decision to continue to fund only elements of their local discretionary travel scheme.
	The Transport Act 2000 sets out the eligibility criteria for statutory concessionary bus travel, covering any person who: is blind or partially sighted; is profoundly or severely deaf; is without speech; has a disability, or has suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to walk; does not have arms or has long-term loss of the use of both arms; has a learning disability that is a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning; or would, if he or she applied for a grant of a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, have his or her application refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the ground of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.
	Local authorities retain the ability to offer discretionary concessions over and above this statutory minimum at their own expense, these including offering concessionary travel to other categories of people such as those with mental health problems.
	Central Government are responsible for the England-wide statutory minimum concession which, from 1 April, is being improved to allow eligible people free off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England. We are providing 212 million to local authorities to cover the additional cost of this, and are confident that in total there is sufficient funding to cover the whole cost of this concession.

Bus Services: Concessions

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has held discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for the Economy and Transport, on the extension of free cross-border bus travel for pensioners between England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I have not held discussions with the Minister for the Economy and Transport in Wales about further extensions to concessionary travel. The Government's current focus remains on ensuring the successful introduction of the new England-wide concession on 1 April.
	The complexity and cost associated with mutual recognition is likely to be considerable. There are issues around how operators will be properly reimbursed (given the differing arrangements in place), by whom, and whether the terms of the different concessions would have to be harmonised (which would be very expensive). These issues will be much easier to address once full smart ticketing is in place on all buses.
	In the interim, local authorities in border areas retain the flexibility to fund cross-border travel for their own residents at their own discretion.

Bus Services: Rural Areas

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations she has received on improving rural bus services.

Rosie Winterton: We have received a number of representations from Members of Parliament, relevant organisations and members of the public on this matter.
	Meeting the transport needs of rural communities is a key component of our policies on local bus services and the further development of community transport provision.

Cabotage

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the level of cabotage activity of  (a) British hauliers in other EU member states, with particular reference to Germany, the Netherlands, France and Italy and  (b) EU hauliers in the UK, with particular reference to those from Germany, the Netherlands, France and Italy; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Using data made available by Eurostat, the most recent estimates (for 2006) for cabotage activity are set out in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table (a): Cabotage by UK registered vehicles in EU member states 
			  Countries in which cabotage took place  Tonne kms (billion) 
			 Germany, Netherlands, France and Italy 0.05 
			 Other EU member states 0.20 
			 All EU member states 0.24 
		
	
	
		
			  Table (b): Cabotage within the UK by country of vehicle registration 
			  Country of vehicle registration  Tonne kms (billion) 
			 Germany 0.2 
			 Netherlands 0.6 
			 France 0.2 
			 Italy(1) 0.0 
			 Other EU member states 0.8 
			 Total EU cabotage(1) 1.8 
			 (1) 2005 data for Italy has been used since 2006 is not yet available

Departmental Cars

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  which  (a) Ministers,  (b) officials and  (c) others entitled to use cars supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency used cars supplied by (i) Kelly Executive and (ii) Little's Chauffeur Drive at her Department's expense in 2007;
	(2)  what protocols determine the  (a) eligibility and  (b) use by (i) Ministers, (ii) former Ministers and (iii) officials in her Department of cars supplied by (A) Kelly Executive and (B) Little's Chauffeur Drive; and how much was spent by her Department on services from each such company in 2007;
	(3)  what the terms and conditions of her Department's contract with Kelly Executive are; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 5 March 2008
	The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) makes use of outside car and driver contractors to cover for peak periods, out of normal working hours work or where all its own resources are already utilised. GCDA provides these resources to any minister or official when it is operationally required to do so as set out in its framework document, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	These contracts are with a number of car and driver companies and were set up in 2003 following a public sector procurement exercise conducted under European Union procurement procedures. The contracts were let using the Cabinet Office's standard contract. GCDA became part of the Department for Transport in November 2005 and these contracts were migrated to the DfT at that time.
	Since April 2007 GCDA has purchased services worth 170,600 from Kelly Executive and 19,600 from Little's Chauffeur Drive. Both figures exclude VAT. All these fees were recharged to the appropriate Department.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by her Department and its agencies on  (a) alcohol and  (b) entertaining in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Generally, the Department for Transport (DfT) operates a no alcohol policy. In exceptional cases, where the Department is holding a special event or staff are attending a venue away from their normal office and working long hours necessitating an evening meal, some limited provision of alcoholic drinks at public expense may be permitted at the discretion of a senior civil servant. Spend incurred in such situations is not centrally recorded and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department's various accounting systems do not in all cases show expenditure on entertaining. Where this is recorded, combined spend at DfT(central) and the Vehicle Certification Agency was 18,638 in the last 12 months. This includes costs incurred during reciprocal events, the Royal opening of a new wing at the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (Farnborough) and the hosting of an international conference on rail. The Government Car and Despatch Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency both recorded zero expenditure.
	Entertainment costs are not recorded as a specific cost category within the accounting systems in use at the Driving Standards Agency, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Highways Agency and at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Such costs are charged to generic codes and could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to her Department's budget.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No specific consideration has been given to applying gender responsive budgeting to the budget of the Department for Transport, but HM Treasury will be conducting further work during 2008 that will determine whether it is prudent and feasible to disaggregate public expenditure statistics by gender.

Departmental Translation Services

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on translation services by her Department, associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06,  (d) 2006-07 and  (e) to date in 2007-08.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The figures requested are in the following table. Those for DfT(c) include interpretation as well as translation. Separate translation information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   000 
			   2003- 0 4  2004- 0 5  2005- 0 6  2006- 0 7  2007- 0 8 
			 DfT(c) 18.1 22.6 22.4 34.2 23.9 
			 DVLA 84.2 92.7 78.8 134.5 111.7 
			 VOSA 19.00 55.00 37.00 56.00 56.00 
			 VCA 1.3 1.4 2.1 2.1 0.8 
			 MCA 8.5 4.7 7.7 20.1 12.2 
			 DSA (1) (1) 4.9 0.1 3.2 
			 HA (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 
			 (1 )Data not available (2 )Data not available except at disproportionate cost 
		
	
	Information on translations provided by the Department's non-departmental public bodies is held by the bodies themselves. This information is not held centrally.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Data Protection

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what checks are carried out on organisations which have made written requests to obtain information from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A review on the release of information from DVLA's vehicle register was carried out in 2006 by the then Minister for Transport. Following that review, DVLA remained of the view that the release of vehicle keeper data following alleged breaches of criminal, civil and contract law remains, in most circumstances, a reasonable cause.
	However, 14 new measures were introduced for both manual and electronic applications. Although companies who apply manually are not required to be Accredited Trade Association members (as are those who make requests via secure electronic links), they are required to provide a significant amount of additional evidence to support each and every application for data, as well as fully explaining the reason for their request for information, and how the information will be used. In the case of car parking enforcement companies, this includes providing a rsum of their business, evidence that the company is acting on the landowner's behalf, that a parking charging scheme is in operation, and where applicable, that the company is registered at Companies House and with the Information Commissioner's Office. All forms contain a note that reminds applicants that it is a criminal offence under Section 55 of the DPA to falsely obtain personal information.
	If the additional evidence requirements are complied with, information is then released in accordance with Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002.
	The Agency carries out ad-hoc audits on companies and other public bodies to ensure that enquiries are appropriate.

Great Western Trains

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps the Department will take in the event of a failure by First Great Western to fulfil its obligations under the remedial plan notice issued on 26 February 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: Material non-compliance with the Remedial Agreement would be a default of the franchise agreement, which could lead to the Government terminating First Great Western's franchise.

Great Western Trains: Portsmouth

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what performance levels were achieved by First Great Western for the Portsmouth to Cardiff rail service in each year from 1997; what plans she has to review the operation of this franchise; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 26 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 73-4WS.
	In the year to 10 November 2007, the figures published by Network Rail show that FGW achieved an average punctuality of 82.3 per cent. across the franchise as a whole and 79.6 per cent. during the preceding four week period. The Department for Transport does not have historic records on the performance of trains on the Portsmouth to Cardiff route separately.

Heathrow Airport

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of additional  (a) tube,  (b) rail and  (c) car movements to Heathrow Airport that will be generated by the opening of a third runway; what assessment she has made of the impact of these additional journeys on air pollution; and what financial contribution BAA will be expected to make to offset the effects of the third runway on (i) pollution, (ii) noise and (iii) congestion.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 7 March 2008
	Our forecasts suggest that, compared with a 'do nothing' option in 2020, a third runway in 2020 would attract the following additional air passenger trips: 1.2 million a year on the underground, 2.3 million a year on heavy rail and 10.2 million a year on the road (including taxis). There is more detail in the supporting technical report on Surface Access published alongside our consultation document and available on the Department's website at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/closed/heathrowconsultation/technicalreports/
	Emissions from surface access transport have been fully taken into account in the modelling of local air quality impacts. Our assessment is that the critical limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulates (PM10) can be met with a third runway in 2020, subject to appropriate constraints.
	Funding the necessary infrastructure and any mitigation measures required as a result of the development would be a matter for BAA, as the airport operator, in light of the planning process.

Humber Bridge: Tolls

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints her Department received on the price of the Humber Bridge Toll in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport receives correspondence on a range of issues related to the Humber Bridge. Most recently 8,334 people signed an e-petition on the No. 10 website calling for the Government to cancel the Humber Bridge debt and reduce tolls. The Government's response has been posted on the No. 10 website at:
	http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page14247.asp
	Copies have been placed in the House Libraries.

Landing Charges

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make it her policy to prevent BAA from cross-subsidising landing charges through income from retail units in their airports.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 7 March 2008
	Government have no role to play in the prices airports charge users for their services.
	At designated airports in the UK, prices charged are a matter for the independent industry regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Competition Commission, and the airports themselves.
	At all other airports in the UK, airports set their own charges in line with competitive market forces.

Mineral Waters

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many litres of bottled water were purchased by her Department in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Public Transport: Lancashire

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding is available for promoting the use of public transport in Morecambe and Lunesdale.

Rosie Winterton: The general revenue support grant, and, for some services the specific grants and capital allocations, as listed in my answer of 6 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2767W, can be used by the local authorities to promote the use of public transport in Morecambe and Lunesdale.
	In addition private sector funding, including from transport operators, may be available to promote public transport in the area.

Road Traffic Offences: Traffic Lights

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government has taken to reduce the number of vehicles travelling through red traffic signals.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Road Traffic Act 1991 provides highways authorities with the power to install and maintain, on or near a highway, structures and camera equipment at traffic-light junctions to detect vehicles failing to comply with a red traffic light. A total of 600 red light cameras were operating within the National Safety Camera Programme for England and Wales on 31 March 2007. Since 1 April 2007 the Department's guidance has allowed local authorities greater freedom to deploy red light cameras in order to prevent or reduce such incidents.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the amount of compensation paid by local authorities in response to claims for  (a) injury and  (b) damage caused by potholes in roads maintained by such authorities in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Highway maintenance on local roads in England is the responsibility of each local highways authority. This responsibility includes management of claims for compensation for personal injury and damage to vehicles resulting from alleged inadequate road maintenance. No estimate is made centrally of the likely level of compensation which may be paid by local authorities to settle such claims.

SS Richard Montgomery

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) further research she has conducted and  (b) representations she has received on the potential impact on the SS Richard Montgomery wreck of dredging the Thames Estuary for the Thames Gate Port shipping channel; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It is anticipated that the Port of London Authority will be carrying out a dredge in the Thames Estuary for the development for the London Gateway Port channel later this year. The SS Richard Montgomery lies over two kilometres away from the edge of the channel and is, therefore, well outside the range of this project.

Sustainable Development: Local Authorities

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assistance her Department provides to local authorities or directly elected mayors to participate in the European Commission's Civitas programme promoting sustainable energy cities.

Rosie Winterton: We welcome the involvement of towns in the UK in the Civitas programme which is helping to drive local transport innovation and sharing of best practice about sustainable travel initiatives. On 3 March, I met representatives from Civitas initiatives across Europe and helped them celebrate the launch of the UK and Ireland Civitas network.

Sustainable Development: Wales

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with her counterpart in the Welsh Assembly Government on the implementation of her Department's sustainable travel towns initiative; and what plans she has to include more towns in the initiative.

Rosie Winterton: Officials in the Department for Transport have, on request, provided advice to officials in the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) on how to set up a similar programme in Wales. They have also had discussions with officials in the Scottish Executive about their proposals for similar schemes there and with other territories in the British and Irish Isles through the British/Irish Council. It is for the WAG to decide on implementation of sustainable travel towns in Wales. Ministers have had no such discussions with their counterparts in the WAG.
	The Department's sustainable travel towns complete their work in April 2009. We are considering the way forward and will make a decision in due course.

Television

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many plasma television screens have been purchased by her Department and its agencies, and at what cost, in the last 24 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: During the last year the Department for Transport and its agencies purchased, for official purposes, 27 plasma television screens at a cost of 30,990.
	This cost figure excludes spend on seven plasma television screens that were purchased as part of a package of conference room equipmentfor the enhancement of videoconference facilitiesas costs were aggregated with associated items and cannot be separated out.
	All items are used for official purposes and as well as videoconferencing use, the screens are also used for training purposes and for the provision of information to members of the public. In many cases the screens do not contain any television links.
	Data are not available on purchases undertaken by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as spend is recorded via a generic code within their accounting systems and not separately itemised.

Transport: Finance

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to ensure that transport funding per head of population in the north-east is increased to the national average.

Rosie Winterton: Expenditure across English regions is not directly comparable and a wide range of factors are taken into account in determining how funding should be distributed, including the needs of different areas.
	Investment in transport within the north-east is at record levels. The Department for Transport's spending on road and rail in the region has increased by 80 per cent. over the six years to 2007-08from 165 million to 298 million. 457 million is provisionally allocated to fund major schemes in the north-east in the 10-year period to 2015-16 through the regional funding allocations process. And the recent local transport plan settlement allocated 245 million funding over the next three years for local authorities across the north-east, providing more funding per head of population in 2008-09 than any other region except the south-west.
	The north-east also benefits from improvements to key corridors and services outside of the region. For example, A1 upgrades in Yorkshire will improve north-east connectivity to major cities to the south and improvements on East Coast Main Line and TransPennine Express benefit many regions.

Transport: Urban Areas

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to amend the governance and structure of urban transport authorities.

Rosie Winterton: The Local Transport Bill, currently under consideration includes powers to enable authorities in urban areas and elsewhere outside London to carry out reviews of their existing transport governance arrangements and structures and to propose changes. These changes could then be enacted through secondary legislation.
	The Government will consider whether to introduce secondary legislation applying to any particular area in the light of the review undertaken locally.

PRIME MINISTER

10 Downing Street: Parliamentary Tours

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many tours for members of the public sponsored by hon. and right hon. Members were made of No. 10 Downing Street in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people  (a) visited and  (b) had a tour of No. 10 Downing Street in each year since 1997; what restrictions are placed on persons (i) visiting and (ii) having a tour of 10 Downing Street; on how many occasions he was present when a tour was given; how many (A) visits and (B) tours were organised by (1) Labour and (2) Conservative hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. My Office has a programme of events at Downing street in order to give access to as many people as possible. This includes school visits to Downing street and receptions for a wide cross-section of the community.

Jennifer Moses

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what job title Jennifer Moses has been given; and whether she is subject to the rules applying to special advisers;
	(2)  whether Jennifer Moses was appointed following an open recruitment procedure; and whether recruitment consultants were used during the appointment process;
	(3)  whether Jennifer Moses has been appointed on a permanent contract.

Gordon Brown: Jennifer Moses is appointed as an unpaid special adviser under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Prime Minister whether the criteria upon which Lord Malloch-Brown was assigned a Ministerial residence include  (a) security considerations,  (b) to enable better performance of official duties and  (c) to enable proper performance of official duties.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my spokesman on 6 August 2007. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website
	http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page12832.asp
	and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Romania

Mike Hancock: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1798-9W, on Romania, if he will make it his policy to make an official visit to Romania other than to attend an EU or NATO conference, during 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: The Government are working to strengthen ties between the UK and Romania and we welcomed Prime Minister Tariceanu's visit to the UK in December 2007. I am looking forward to the NATO Summit in Bucharest. For security reasons, my future engagements are announced as and when appropriate.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1359W, on Afghanistan peacekeeping operations, what the circumstances were surrounding the loss of each of the 27 Desert Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles;
	(2)  how many of the 27 lost Desert Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles have been  (a) recovered,  (b) not recovered and are believed to be in enemy control and  (c) not recovered and are not believed to be in enemy control.

Bob Ainsworth: The 27 Desert Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) lost in Afghanistan all crashed either as a result of technical failure or following an unexplained loss of signal.
	Of the 27 lost, one was subsequently recovered. We are aware of two that came into the possession of opposing forces. Due to their lightweight design and the harsh operating environment, the Desert Hawk would be expected to break apart on impact, putting them beyond serviceable use. Even if recovered intact the UAV itself offers no value to opposing forces, and these losses therefore raise no operational security concerns.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the six Merlin helicopters purchased from Denmark will be deployed in Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 January 2008,  Official Report, column 364W, to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox).

Armed Forces: Genetics

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether DNA samples of soldiers taken under the voluntary DNA sampling scheme will be stored on the National DNA database; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: DNA matching is a near-failsafe method of identifying a deceased individual but only if there is a reference sample with which to compare the bodily remains. At such times, collecting samples from personal effects or family members can prolong the identification process and be traumatic for the grieving family. The aim of our voluntary DNA sampling scheme is to minimise the pain and distress to families by taking a reference sample, which could be analysed in the event of the suspected death of the individual and DNA obtained from the sample at that stage, to enable deceased personnel to be identified quickly and with less intrusion on the family.
	Since 1999, the MOD has offered aircrew the opportunity of storing reference samples from which DNA could later be identified in order to hasten the identification process. The MOD has now decided that, from later this year, all military, MOD civilian and other entitled civilian personnel deploying to operational theatres will be offered the same opportunity to store reference samples for use in the event that their death is suspected and a body or body parts required identification. In due course, the offer of voluntary reference sampling will be extended to new recruits from all three services. Eventually, therefore, the programme will include all service personnel.
	The samples are currently taken in the form of bloodspot samples. However, in future, it is intended to take buccal (cheek) swab samples which can be collected either before operational deployment or at regular dental checks. The samples are then stored in secure cabinets in rooms with restricted access. The samples are stored in an un-processed state and therefore the DNA profiles have not been created and are not stored on any database. The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 states that voluntary DNA samples can only be analysed and entered onto the National DNA Database with the specific written consent of the individual. The MOD has no plans to amend its policy to include this process.
	Samples held by the MOD will be withdrawn from storage if requested by a Coroner, for the purpose of post-mortem identification, or at the request of the individual. It is possible that a sample could be released by court order, although, very strong arguments would have to be presented to the court to obtain an order for release.
	Since the inception of the scheme, samples have been released on two occasions only, at the request of a coroner, for the purpose of post-mortem identification of six personnel in total. There have been no other requests for the release of samples for any other reason, and as such have never been used in a criminal investigation.
	The sample will be destroyed by incineration when the individual leaves the armed forces, after 45 years, or at the request of the individual, whichever is sooner.
	The circumstances in which the samples are taken, stored and might be used are fully explained in internal defence communications.

Armed Forces: Housing

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what steps are being taken by Defence Estates to reduce the number of void properties on the estate; what discussions he has had with Defence Estates on the practice of releasing information on the number of voids; what discussions he has had with HM Treasury on the spending of revenue from the sale of properties on the estate on service accommodation; what the cost of void properties was to his Department in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many void properties there are in the Defence Estate; how many such properties have been void for  (a) one year,  (b) three years,  (c) five years and  (d) 10 years and over; how much of the 3 billion allocated by his Department to rent, routine costs and leasing of service accommodation he projects will be spent on rent in each of the next 10 years; how much was spent on maintenance and emergency repairs of void properties in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps its estate of around 240,000 hectares under continual review to ensure that it is no larger than is required for defence purposes. Details of all MOD properties that are currently void or have been void for the periods specified are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, detailed records are held of void service family accommodation properties (SFA) in Great Britain (GB) and at 5 March 2008, there were 9,066 void properties out of a stock of some 49,000, of which, the following have been void for over a year.
	
		
			  Number of years  Number of properties 
			 Between 1 year and 3 years 2,248 
			 Between 3 years and 5 years 364 
			 Between 5 years and 10 years 203 
			 Over 10 years 109 
		
	
	The Department accepts that the remaining amount of void accommodation is unacceptably high and work is in hand to reduce this. Since March 2007, the total number of void SFA worldwide has reduced from 13,336 to 12,240 properties.
	The Department is seeking to reduce the number of void SFA properties by seeking to maximise the number of properties that can be declared surplus to requirements, bringing forward decisions on the future use of sites and by reducing the number of properties retained in anticipation of agreed deployments.
	No separate assessment of the cost of void properties is made. However, the majority of SFA in England and Wales is owned by Annington Homes Ltd. and an average rent of 3,500 per annum is payable. In Scotland, SFA is owned by the MOD and no rental charges are incurred. All GB SFA incur costs in respect of contributions in lieu of council tax, which averages 600 per void property per annum. Maintenance costs average 1,600 per property per annum. Minimal maintenance will be carried out where properties are due to be disposed of or are scheduled for major refurbishment.
	Ministers are kept informed of estate matters on a regular basis and are routinely notified in advance of significant releases of information about the estate.
	The projected breakdown of the 3 billion expenditure is as follows:
	
		
			billion 
			 Annington Homes Ltd. 1.6 
			 Other Rent 0.4 
			 Leases 0.3 
			 Other Costs 0.7 
		
	
	It is not possible to provide a detailed breakdown of expenditure on rent in each financial year, but we currently plan to spend some 2 billion on the rental of GB service accommodation over the next 10 years.
	Details of the amount spent on the maintenance and emergency repair of void properties over the last five years are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The MOD agrees disposal targets with HM Treasury as part of the periodic Spending Reviews and these form part of the Defence budget. Where disposal targets have been exceeded, HM Treasury has allowed the Department to invest any surplus in key priorities, including the provision of new and improved accommodation. As part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review, the proceeds from the disposal of Chelsea barracks were specifically ring-fenced for investment in new and improved accommodation for service personnel.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which unit will back-fill the requirement for the Spearhead Land Element (SLE) if the current SLE is deployed as part of the pan-Balkans Operational Reserve Force.

Bob Ainsworth: The 1st Battalion the Welsh Guards are currently providing the Operational Reserve Force (ORF) with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Ghurkha Rifles undertaking the Spearhead Land Element (SLE) role. Should the ORF be deployed the SLE role will remain with 2nd Battalion the Royal Ghurkha Rifles.
	In due course 2nd Battalion The Rifles will take over both the ORF and SLE roles. Should they be required to deploy, the SLE role would be filled by three Commando Bde or alternatively the Small Scale Focused Intervention Battle Group (SSFI BG).

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many under 25 year olds were recruited to the  (a) Army,  (b) Navy and  (c) RAF in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the number of under 25 year olds recruited(1) of the regular(2) forces by service in each of the last 10 financial years.
	(1) Figures show all intake from civil life to UK regular forces including re-enlistments and rejoined reservists.
	(2) Figures are for UK regular forces (including both trained and untrained personnel), and therefore excludes Gurkhas, full-time reserve service personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.
	
		
			   All Services  Navy  Army  RAF 
			 1997-98 21,700 4,150 14,370 3,180 
			 1998-99 23,950 4,320 15,870 3,750 
			 1999-00 23,490 4,500 15,360 3,630 
			 2000-01 21,070 4,140 13,650 3,270 
			 2001-02 21,530 4,520 13,570 3,450 
			 2002-03 23,500 4,630 14,840 4,040 
			 2003-04 21,010 3,600 13,620 3,780 
			 2004-05 15,590 3,200 10,470 1,920 
			 2005-06 16,240 3,400 11,600 1,230 
			 2006-07 (1)16,450 (2)3,240 (1)11,640 (2)1,570 
			 (1) Provisional (2) Revised.   Notes: 1. Figures are sourced from the annual publication TSP19 UK Regular Forces Intake and outflow by age for financial year 2006-07. 2. Due to the introduction of a new personnel administration system, Naval Service statistics from 1 October 2006, and Army and RAF statistics from 1 April 2007 and RAF statistics from 1 April 2006 are provisional and subject to review. 3. Due to rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in five have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.  Source: DASA (Quad-Service)

Armed Forces: Sick Leave

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel of each unit are unfit for duty for medical reasons; and how many have been diagnosed with diseases under each international classification of diseases code.

Derek Twigg: The MOD collates, on a quarterly basis, fit for task figures, which provide a measure of all trained personnel that are considered medically fit for the task they were posted to their ship/unit/station to perform. It is the balance of the trained strength that is not medically downgraded. It is important to note, however, that the majority of medically downgraded personnel remain fit enough to work in some other capacity and therefore continue to make a contribution to operational effectiveness.
	The following table shows the numbers, broken down by service, of trained personnel who were fully, not fully, and unfit for task, as at 30 December 2007:
	
		
			  Service  Fully fit for task  Not fully fit for task  Unfit for task  Total trained strength 
			 Royal Navy 31,346 3,529 100 34,975 
			 Army 78,659 15,582 1,028 95,269 
			 RAF 36,882 4,332 197 41,411 
			 Total 146,887 23,443 1,325 171,655 
		
	
	The figures broken down by unit, or by the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Army: Training

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what improvements have been made since 2002 in the provision of an effective supervisory regime in the Army training establishment; and what was the ratio between numbers of Officers, non-Commissioned Officers and recruits at  (a) Deepcut,  (b) Catterick barracks and  (c) the 10 other largest Army training establishments in each of the last five years.

Bob Ainsworth: Since 2002 the key improvements that have been made have been designed to reduce the risk to the welfare and wellbeing of recruits and trainees. These include:
	a revised Supervisory Care Policy that mandates that all commanding officers have a Supervisory Care Directive underpinned by a Commander's Risk Assessment;
	the opening in June 2007 of the Army Recruiting and Training Division Staff Leadership School which is dedicated to instructor training;
	improved training for instructors which, since October 2007, is accredited to meet the National Standard required of those delivering work based training in the Learning and Skills Sector;
	improved care and management of those deemed to be 'at risk'; and,
	a revised 'Under 18' policy, which provides comprehensive guidance to commanding officers as to how the care of personnel under 18 is to be managed.
	The statistical information requested is not held centrally, but is being collated. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
	 Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Joan Humble:
	I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 12 December 2007, (Official Report, column 609W) about the ratio between Officers, Other Ranks and recruits.
	I am unable to provide the information in the format requested as the data have not been recorded in a consistent format over the period and different elements of the data have not been recorded at all. However, I am able to provide a snapshot of numbers in November each year since 2003 which provides an appreciation of the numbers involved. It should be noted that not all permanent staff posts are training posts and therefore the numbers cannot be taken as representative of supervisory ratios.
	The information is provided in the attached Annex A.
	
		
			  Annex A 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			   Off  ORs  Rec  Off  ORs  Rec  Off  ORs  Rec  Off  ORs  Rec  Off  ORs  Rec 
			 SCHINF (Catterick) 118 607 1,338 111 570 807 116 630 975 120 812 1,270 120 599 1,641 
			 DCLPA (Deepcut)(1) 127 1,130 116 818 128 826 131 846 121 862 
			 ATR(P) 55 269 708 59 274 717 59 274 628 63 286 812 68 278 1,175 
			 RSA 4 49 232 4 55 203 4 55 177 4 55 200 4 55 154 
			 RMAS 156 468 769 124 458 719 130 458 730 132 490 700 103 444 797 
			 RSME-Const Engr Sch 49 281 480 49 281 591 49 281 515 49 281 510 49 281 946 
			 RSME-Cbt Engr Sch 39 281 1141 39 281 633 39 281 577 39 281 687 39 281  
			 AFC(H) 69 218 1,210 67 224 1,207 67 213 1,150 69 226 1,171 65 222 1,130 
			 ARMCEN 37 218 290 39 248 107 34 243 202 37 240 221 37 260 303 
			 ATR(B) 43 195 737 43 185 553 40 179 695 39 197 650 39 183 610 
			 ATR(W) 31 133 416 30 139 318 30 139 423 29 131 475 29 140 569 
			 SAAvN 57 109 197 55 131 168 54 127 150 54 128 150 56 125 133 
			 Key: Off = Officers, ORs = Other Ranks, Rec = Recruits Key: SCHINF = School of Infantry, DCLPA = Defence College of Logistics and Personnel Administration, ATR(P) = Army Training Regiment (Pirbright), RSA = Royal School of Artillery, RMAS = Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, RSME = Royal School of Military Engineering, Const Engr Sch = Construction Engineer School, Cbt Engr Sch = Combat Engineer School, AFC(H) = Army Foundation College (Harrogate), ARMCEN = Armour Centre, ATR(B) = Army Training Regiment (Bassingbourn), ATR(W) = Army Training Regiment (Winchester), SAAvn = School of Army Aviation. (1) Figures provided by DCLPA are for those Officers and Other Ranks in duty of care roles in 25 Training Support Regiment at Deepcut.  Notes: 1. Unless stated otherwise Officers and Other Ranks figures will include Headquarters staff. Not all permanent staff posts are training or duty of care posts, and the numbers given cannot be taken as being representative of supervisory ratios. In addition, there will also be civilian staff working at each establishment, some of whom will have direct training roles. 2. The figures show the ratios as at November in each year. Recruit numbers fluctuate over the course of a year. 3. Many of these training establishments will also provide career training to members of the Field Army. The Recruit figures shown only include those under basic training (phase 1) or trade training (phase 2).

Courts Martial

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average waiting time was for a case to go to court martial in the  (a) Army,  (b) Royal Navy and  (c) Royal Air Force in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the average waiting times for a case to go to court martial by calendar year for each service.
	
		
			  Days 
			   2006  2007 
			 RAF 226 267 
			 Army 242 240 
			 RN 81 74 
			  Notes: 1. The RAF and Army figures are based on the length of time taken from the date an incident was either formally reported, or an official police investigation was initiated, to the actual starting date of the court martial hearing. 2. The increase in the RAF figures from 2005 (56 days) is due to a different recording procedure. Previously the RAF measured the average delay between the point that the case papers were received by the court administration unit (which administers arrangements for the court martial) to the trial date and appearing at court martial. It is not possible to provide data within the same parameters for 2006 and 2007 as information was not transferred to the current working database. 3. The RN figures are based on the length of time taken from when the Naval Prosecution Authority prefers charges to the first day of a trial. 4. Not all applications made in 2007, where charges have been preferred, have yet reached trial (although the majority have). 5. The averages shown are heavily affected by individual cases, where for example, there may be unusual delays in obtaining evidence, such as fraud or where computer analysis is involved.

Defence: Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the  (a) technical and  (b) financial aspect of EADS's bid to (i) supply the Royal Air Force as part of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft project and (ii) supply the US Air Force with refuelling aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: EADS is a member of the AirTanker consortium which was announced Preferred Bidder for the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) PFI project in 2005 following a competition. The Ministry of Defence has undertaken a detailed assessment of AirTanker's PFI proposal, which offers a cost effective solution to the FSTA requirement. The United States has conducted its own, separate, assessment of EADS' proposals to meet its future air-to-air refuelling needs.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months.

Derek Twigg: Between 1 January and 31 December 2007 two regulatory impact assessments have been published by the Ministry of Defence. All impact assessments published by the Department can be found on the MOD website at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/ConsultationsandCommunications/PublicConsultations/
	From April 2008, impact assessments from all departments will be published on a central website.

Departmental Marketing

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1589W, on departmental marketing, what the dimensions were of the display boards in his Department's London buildings.

Derek Twigg: The dimensions of each of the display boards in the MOD London buildings were 2200mm high by 800mm wide.

Departmental Reviews

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's  (a) Pension Abatement Review and  (b) X Factor Review for financial years 1997-98 to 2007-08.

Derek Twigg: The 2007-08 X-Factor Review provided evidence to both the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB) and the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB). Although the AFPRB recommendations have already been announced, the SSRB has yet to submit its recommendation for the senior military. Once the Government have responded to the SSRB's recommendations, I will place a redacted version of the review in the Library.
	The Pension Abatement Review is carried out independently of MOD by the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body. The AFPRB report for each pension abatement review can be found on:
	http://www.ome.uk.com

Written Questions

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many written Questions to his Department had not received an answer as at 25 February 2008 for  (a) between two and four,  (b) between four and six,  (c) between six and eight and  (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) 17 questions including three named day questions.
	 (b) Seven questions including two named day questions.
	 (c) Nine questions.
	 (d) 20 questions including two named day questions.

Ex-servicemen: Employment Schemes

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider introducing a scheme to assist veterans leaving the armed forces to employment on a similar model to the US authorities, Troops to Teachers programme.

Derek Twigg: Currently, some 68 service leavers a year already enter a teaching career. Additionally, as a result of an approach by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, the MOD has been working for the past year, initially with the trust but latterly with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), on a scheme to encourage more service leavers to take up a career in secondary level specialist teaching in science, maths and IT subjects as a contribution to addressing the national shortage in secondary level STEM subject teachers. Apart from advertising through the Career Transition Partnership opportunities for individuals to consider teaching and outlining the existing routes into the profession, we are looking to develop routes to attract suitable service leavers to become teachers who do not already possess the academic qualifications normally necessary to enter teacher training. This work is a still at an early stage.
	The MOD is an active participant in the recently launched wider DCSF Transition to Teaching initiative to encourage career changers into the teaching profession, and is represented on the Steering Committee alongside such blue chip employers as IBM, KPMG, Thales, Astra Zenica and Lockheed Martin Aerospace. Most service leavers are very successful in securing civilian employment: about 95 per cent. of those using the Career Transition Partnership who wish to continue to work are in new careers within six months of discharge from the armed forces.
	In view of the initiatives already in hand, the Department has no plans to adopt the US Troops to Teachers programme.

Navy: Deployment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average unit tour interval was for each ship type in the Royal Navy in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: The average unit tour interval by surface ship type over the last five years, defining a tour as a ship being away from its base port for more than three months, is as follows (rounded to the nearest month):
	
		
			   Months 
			 Land Platform Dock 17 
			 Landing Platform Dock Helicopter 20 
			 CVS 31 
			   
			  Destroyers  
			 T42 16 
			   
			  Frigates  
			 T22 14 
			 T23 16 
			 Mine Counter Measures Vessels 17 
			 HMS Endurance 5 
		
	
	 Exceptions:
	Survey Vessels have up to five year deployments.
	River Class Patrol Vessels on Fishery Protection undertake eight week (approx) taskings.
	Falkland Island Patrol Vessel permanently deployed.

Regulation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for which regulators and inspectorates his Department has had responsibility in each year since 1997; what the budget was of each such body in each year; and what the cost to the public purse was of any restructuring of each such body in each year.

Derek Twigg: The only such body for which this Department has responsibility is the MOD Fire Service maintained by the Secretary of State for Defence in its role as an Enforcing Authority under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This however has not resulted in any restructuring costs, nor has it been necessary to maintain a separate record of the costs to the Fire Service of carrying out its duties under the 2005 order.

Small Scale Focused Intervention Battlegroup

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Small Scale Focused Intervention Battlegroup's mission statement is.

Bob Ainsworth: The Small Scale Focussed Intervention Battlegroup (SSFIBG) is a new capability formed on 15 February 2008 and as such it does not currently have a formal mission statement.
	The SSFIBG's purpose is to provide a Contingency Force Element to Reinforce the Joint Rapid Reaction Forces when either the Airborne Task Force or lead Commando Group is deployed on operations. In such an eventuality it would be given a mission statement.

Small Scale Focused Intervention Battlegroup

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria he uses to determine whether the Small Scale Focused Intervention Battlegroup is deployed on operations.

Bob Ainsworth: There are a number of force elements at high readiness held by the Department in order to undertake a range of tasks at short notice, including the Small Scale Focussed Intervention Battlegroup. The criteria used to determine the exact force package deployed will depend on the precise nature of the requirement, which will vary depending on circumstances.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Non-Profit Making Associations: Ethnic Groups

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what funding has been allocated to support black and minority ethnic social enterprise  (a) to date in 2007-08 and  (b) over the next three years.

Phil Hope: 20 per cent. (totalling around 600,000 over the three years to 2009-10), of the Office of the Third Sector's Strategic Partners programme funding for social enterprise partners is ring-fenced to ensure that those partners reach out effectively to black and minority ethnic communities to enable them to articulate their needs and issues.
	The Office of the Third Sector will consult and involve partners in policy development, taking into account the evidence, advice and opinion they provide.

Non-Profit Making Associations: Ethnic Groups

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to establish a black and minority ethnic social enterprise network; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: As a strategic partner of the Office of the Third Sector's, the Social Enterprise Coalition invests 25 per cent. of its strategic grant (137,000 in 2007-08) in undertaking a lead role on behalf of the social enterprise movement, to develop a plan for engaging and integrating black and minority ethnic (BME) social enterprise into the wider movement.
	The Coalition is currently engaged in the consultation phase of this work, taking views from a wide range of BME organisations and individuals. This includes developing options for ensuring that the voice of BME social enterprise is heard.
	The outcome of this work will be available in the autumn.

Voluntary Organisations: York

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what proportion of contracts awarded to third sector organisations providing services in the Vale of York are three-year contracts;
	(2)  what progress has been made towards ensuring third sector organisations providing services in the Vale of York are awarded three-year contracts.

Phil Hope: This Government are committed to ensuring that three year funding for third sector organisations becomes the norm rather than the exception. I will be reporting on Government progress in meeting this funding commitment to HM Treasury on an annual basis. The first report will be made in the autumn 2008 and will be laid before Parliament. It is expected that local authorities will be making reports on three year funding from 2009 onwards.
	The information requested is currently not recorded centrally.

WALES

Legislative Competence: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library copies of correspondence between his Department and  (a) the National Assembly for Wales and  (b) Welsh Assembly Government Ministers between 1 May 2007 and 1 February 2008 relating to the legislative procedure for Wales including legislative competence orders; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: We have had frequent exchanges with both the National Assembly for Wales and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers about the new legislative arrangements for Wales. We are committed to making this process work and will continue to have discussions with all relevant parties. To make such correspondence available in the Library would restrict our ability to conduct business effectively.

TREASURY

Income Tax: East Riding

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of taxpayers in Beverley and Holderness paid the higher rate of income tax in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The number of individual income taxpayers by constituency can be found in table 3.15 Income and tax by Parliamentary Constituency on HM Revenue and Customs' website.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu-by-year.htm#315
	Estimates are based on the survey of personal incomes, of which 2005-06 is the latest available.
	Information on the number of higher rate taxpayers at constituency level is not readily available. Sample sizes at constituency level are small and estimates can demonstrate a large variability from year to year, therefore any inference from the information in table 3.15 should take into account the confidence intervals in table 3.15a Income and tax by Parliamentary Constituency, Confidence Intervals.

Stamp Duties: Carbon Emissions

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many homes had claimed the zero rate of stamp duty applicable to zero-carbon homes as of 7 March 2008.

Angela Eagle: Of those transactions for which a stamp duty land tax certificate was issued in between 1 October 2007 and 29 February 2008, nine transactions claimed the stamp duty land tax relief for new zero-carbon homes. No data currently exist for March.
	The tax relief will help kick-start the market for new highly efficient technologies in homes, both for the fabric of the building and in the use of microgeneration, and sets a gold standard for green homes.
	We expect the numbers of qualifying transactions to rise as more properties eligible to claim the relief go on the market. For example, in December 2007 the Government announced details of 200 new homes to be built to a zero-carbon standard in Hanham Hall, near Bristol. The media release can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/611694
	The Government are committed to conducting an interim review of the relief in 2010 which will examine the effectiveness of the relief in stimulating the innovation necessary to ensure that all new homes are built to a zero-carbon standard from 2016.

Suicides: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of people who committed suicide in Essex were  (a) male and  (b) female in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people committed suicide in Essex in each of the last five years, broken down by age.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 12 March 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
	(1) What proportion of suicides in Essex were (a) male and (b) female in each of the last five years. (193506)
	(2) How many suicides there were in Essex in each of the last five years; and what proportion was of each decile age group. (193507)
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, by (1) sex, and (2) 10 year age group, in Essex county, for 2002 to 2006 (the latest year available). The proportion of suicides by (1) sex and (2) 10 year age group is also shown.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, and proportion of suicides, Essex county( 1, 2) , by sex, 2002-06( 3) 
			   Males  Females  Persons( 4) 
			   Deaths  Percentage  Deaths  Percentage  Deaths  Percentage 
			 2002 72 79 19 21 91 100 
			 2003 78 79 21 21 99 100 
			 2004 68 71 28 29 96 100 
			 2005 82 73 30 27 112 100 
			 2006 84 70 36 30 120 100 
			 (1 )Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34, excluding Y33.9 (where the Coroner's verdict was pending). (2) Suicide and undetermined intent deaths have not been included for children under the age of 15 years. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (4) Percentages do not always add to 100 due to rounding. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, and proportion of suicides, Essex county( 1) , by age group( 2) , 2001-06( 3) 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Age  Deaths  Percentage  Deaths  Percentage  Deaths  Percentage  Deaths  Percentage  Deaths  Percentage 
			 15-24 10 11 7 7 16 17 14 13 10 8 
			 25-34 11 12 20 20 18 19 22 20 21 18 
			 35-44 22 24 22 22 20 21 30 27 22 18 
			 45-54 17 19 21 21 17 18 18 16 24 20 
			 55-64 15 16 15 15 13 14 7 6 16 13 
			 65-74 8 9 3 3 5 5 6 5 12 10 
			 75-84 5 5 6 6 5 5 10 9 6 5 
			 85+ 3 3 5 5 2 2 5 4 9 8 
			 Total(4) 91 100 99 100 96 100 112 100 120 100 
			 (1) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34, excluding Y33.9 (where the Coroner's verdict was pending). (2) Suicide and undetermined intent deaths have not been included for children under the age of 15 years. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar-year. (4) Percentages do not always add to 100 due to rounding.

Suicides: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suicides there were in Tamworth constituency in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) age,  (b) sex and  (c) ethnic origin.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 12 March 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many suicides there were in Tamworth constituency in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) age, (b) sex, and (c) ethnic origin. (193615)
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, by (a) age and (b) sex in Tamworth parliamentary constituency, for 1997 to 2006 (the latest year available). Figures on suicides by (c) ethnic group are not available, as ethnicity is not recorded at death registration.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, Tamworth parliamentary constituency( 1) , by age-group( 2) ,1997 to 2006( 3) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			   Age group 
			   15 to 44  45 to 74  75+ 
			 1997 4 1 0 
			 1998 12 2 4 
			 1999 1 1 0 
			 2000 6 4 0 
			 2001 6 3 0 
			 2002 2 3- 1 
			 2003 3 2 0 
			 2004 8 1 0 
			 2005 1 2 1 
			 2006 1 1 0 
			 (1) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E950-E959 and E980-E989, excluding E988.8 for the year 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34, excluding Y33.9 (where the Coroner's verdict was pending) for the years 2001 to 2006. (2) Suicide and undetermined intent deaths have not been included for children under the age of 15 years. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, Tamworth parliamentary constituency( 1,2) , by sex, 1997 to 2006( 3) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			   Males  Females 
			 1997 4 1 
			 1998 11 7 
			 1999 1 1 
			 2000 9 1 
			 2001 7 2 
			 2002 3 3 
			 2003 2 3 
			 2004 7 2 
			 2005 3 1 
			 2006 1 1 
			 (1) Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E950-E959 and E980-E989, excluding E988.8 for the years 1997 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34, excluding Y33.9 (where the Coroner's verdict was pending) for the years 2001 to 2006. (2) Suicide and undetermined intent deaths have not been included for children under the age of 15 years. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

VAT: Exemptions

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice his Department has received on whether the exemption from VAT on services provided granted to local leisure trusts is allowable under the European Union's 6th VAT Directive.

Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs regularly receives legal and other advice in relation to its administration of the VAT rules. The VAT exemption for supplies of certain services closely linked to sport or physical education by non-profit making bodies is fully consistent with Article 132(1)(m) of the EC Principal VAT Directive.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished admission episodes where the admission method was via accident and emergency for an alcohol related diagnosis there were in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS trust.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Alcoholic Drinks: Hospitals

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol-related admissions there were to hospitals in each primary care trust area in ( a) 2004,  (b) 2005,  (c) 2006 and  (d) 2007; and what proportion these represented of all admissions in each area in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: This requested information has been placed in the Library.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times patients in each NHS hospital trust in England have had their stomachs pumped due to  (a) excessive drinking and  (b) chemical intoxication in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not collected centrally.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) males and  (b) females in each age group were admitted to hospital in England for (i) alcoholic liver disease and (ii) alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 15 January 2008,  Official Report, column 1186W.

Ambulance Services: Essex

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance and air ambulance crews serve north-east Essex; and what the ratio of ambulance crews to 1,000 population is  (a) in north-east Essex and  (b) in England.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the number of ambulance and air ambulance crews and the ratio of ambulance crews to 1,000 populations for north-east Essex and England is not collected centrally. However, data on ambulance work force are contained within table 5 of the Information Centre's Non-Medical Workforce Census Bulletin (1996-2006), which is available via the Information Centre for health and social care website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/nhsstaff2006/nonmed/Nonmedical%20Bulletin%20Tables%201-9%20final.xls

Ambulance Services: Standards

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many times the ambulance service  (a) did not meet the eight minute response target and  (b) took over 15 minutes to respond to a Category A emergency in (i) north-east Essex, (ii) the east of England and (iii) England in 2006-07;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the ambulance service in north-east Essex; and what steps he plans to take to improve their performance.

Ben Bradshaw: Information is not held centrally for ambulance response times in north-east Essex. The Department collects ambulance response time data that are recorded by ambulance trusts in their entirety.
	The East of England Ambulance Service was formed on 1 July 2006, following the reconfiguration of ambulance trusts in England, and met the Category A eight-minute target for that reporting period (2006-07). Response time data for the trusts that merged to form the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust before 2006 and for England are available in the annual KA34 Statistical Bulletin 'Ambulance Services, England 2006-07'.
	Copies of the bulletins are available in the Library and the bulletin for 2006-07 is also available at the following website:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/audits-and-performance/ambulance/ambulance-services-england-2006-07
	Information on how many times an ambulance service took more than 15 minutes to respond to a Category A emergency is not collected centrally.
	The Department monitors performance of ambulance services at ambulance trust level, therefore such information on north-east Essex is not held centrally. It is for strategic health authorities (SHAs), as the local headquarters of the national health service, and primary care trusts, as commissioners, to ensure that national response time standards are delivered and maintained by ambulance trusts.
	In April 2008, changes to performance reporting will be introduced, which will align the reported response times more closely to patients' experience. The Department is supporting ambulance trusts to prepare for this change by providing advice and specialist support, and facilitating the sharing of data, analysis and best practice.
	The Department implemented a 25 million capital incentive scheme during 2006-07. A similar scheme operated in 2004-05. Both schemes rewarded trusts who demonstrated improved levels of performance including response times.

Autism

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research on the prevalence of autism in adults.

Ivan Lewis: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Guildford (Anne Milton) on 29 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1968W.

Community Care

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) adults with learning disabilities,  (b) older people,  (c) adults with physical disabilities and  (d) adults with mental health problems received continuing care per 50,000 of population in each primary care trust area in England in each quarter of 2007.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected by the Department. The Department collects information on the number of people receiving continuing health care. I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 22 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1062-68W, to the hon. Member for Leeds, North-West (Greg Mulholland).

Departmental Databases

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether  (a) companies based in the United States and  (b) UK subsidiaries of US companies have been contracted by his Department and its agencies to provide services involving the use, storage, processing or analysis of databases of personal information held by the Government on UK citizens in the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department including its agencies has no contract with a United States (US) registered service provider for information storage, processing or analysis.
	The Department, including its agencies has engaged a United Kingdom subsidiary of a US registered service provider to manage (aspects of) storage, processing or analysis of personal information.
	The Data Protection Act 1998 includes provisions to ensure that personal data benefits from adequate protection when it is transferred outside the European economic area(1) by UK data controllers. Contracts are based on UK contract law with the applicable statutory safeguards.
	(1) The 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the final regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) published between 1 January and 30 June 2007 can be found in 'Regulatory Impact Assessments for 2007' (CM7297) which is available at:
	http://bre.berr.gov.uk/regulation/ria/regulatory_reporting/index.asp
	For the Department, 12 have been listed.
	Departments are in the process of identifying the final RIAs published between 1 July and 31 December 2007.
	From April 2008, all final impact assessments will be published on a central website.

Dieticians: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nutritionists were employed by the NHS in  (a) Bexley Primary Care Trust and  (b) the London region in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information on number of nutritionists is not held centrally.
	The only available information is for dietetics staff, held by national health service trusts. Information is therefore provided in the following table for those organisations within the London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which employ dietetics staff. Bexley Primary Care Trust (PCT) does not employ any dietetics staff.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified dietetics staff in specified organisation within the London SHA area as at 30 September each specified year 
			   Headcount 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 15 13 14 11 18 
			 Barnet PCT   4 5 4 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust 31 38 36 46 49 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 15 18 19 33 22 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 8 7 8 7 8 
			 Bromley PCT 6 9 12 16 15 
			 Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust   1 1 1 
			 Camden PCT 1 
			 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 1   1  
			 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 11 14 14 13 15 
			 Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT 9 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 6 4 3 3 3 
			 Ealing PCT 8 12 15 12 10 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Sick Children NHS Trust 21 20 29 28 29 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 2 1 1 2 2 
			 Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 30 42 43 44 45 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 3 3 4 2 2 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 35 38 40 40 34 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 30 35 27 28 25 
			 Havering PCT 11 12 11 10 13 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 6 6 9 9 8 
			 Hillingdon PCT 8 2 1 2 1 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 3 5 8 4 7 
			 Hounslow PCT 10 10 10 10 11 
			 Islington PCT 1 6 9 13 12 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 4 6 7 7 8 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust 20 20 23 21 22 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 25 21 22 20 22 
			 Lambeth PCT 2 2 2 2 2 
			 Lewisham PCT 2 2 3 2 5 
			 Mayday Health Care NHS Trust 17 18 17 17 14 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 6 6 7 9 7 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 30 31 31 27 27 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 6 3 7 7 8 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 11 10 11 14 9 
			 Redbridge PCT 5 5 9 12 10 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT n/a 2 1 2 1 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 14 15 12 14 12 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 18 19 20 19 18 
			 Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 5 5 7 8 11 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Trust 2 3 3 3 3 
			 South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 
			 St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust 19 21 20 25 24 
			 St. Mary's NHS Trust 17 22 20 20 17 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 11 13 16 16 17 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 5 6 10 8 10 
			 The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 9 9 10 11 10 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 18 23 22 21 21 
			 Waltham Forest PCT  8 11 11 11 
			 Wandsworth PCT 8 10 12 9 11 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Westminster PCT 3 4 5 12 12 
			 n/a = .. Not Applicable. Where PCT did not exist or no longer exists.  Note: 1. More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total workforce figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years' figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years' figures is estimated to be less than one per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time.

Drugs: Prisons

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the new prison clinical drug treatment announced in the Drugs Strategy will include treatment for cannabis use.

Ivan Lewis: The clinical drug treatment elements of the new Drug Strategy will not include treatment for cannabis use.
	There is no evidence to support any clinical intervention for the management of cannabis dependence. There are however, effective psychosocial interventions to address this problem so heavy users of cannabis can receive intensive interventions which are available in prisons through the counselling, assessment, referral, advice and throughcare service teams.

East of England Ambulance Service

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget of the East of England Ambulance Service is in 2007-08.

Ben Bradshaw: Budget information for individual national health service organisations is not held centrally. Trusts are expected to set their own budgets to ensure their income covers their planned expenditure. However, the Department does collect historical accounting data from trusts. Self-reported accounting data from the East of England Ambulance Trust for 2006-07 reported a total income of 189,026,000.

Hearing Aid Council

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he expects to abolish the Hearing Aid Council; what plans he has for the regulation of hearing aid audiologists following the Council's abolition; and how such regulatory functions will be financed during 2008.

Gareth Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
	My officials continue to work towards the deadline of April 2009, which the Government committed to in response to the Hampton Report.
	We intend to repeal the Hearing Aid Council Act 1968 as part of the transfer process and officials are considering appropriate legislative routes.
	Following abolition, it is planned that audiologists will be regulated by the Health Professions Council. Prior to abolition and during 2008, the Hearing Aid Council will continue to regulate private sector audiologists and it will continue to be financed by fees paid by registered hearing aid dispensers.

Hypertension: Medical Treatments

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension;
	(2)  what progress is being made in improving the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has had no recent discussions with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on this issue.
	NICE is currently conducting an appraisal of drugs for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and has recently issued an appraisal consultation document setting out its draft conclusions. Stakeholders have until 20 March 2008 to submit comments, which will be considered by NICE in formulating its final guidance. NICE plans to issue final guidance later in 2008. Further information can be found on NICE's website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byIDo=11708
	In addition, the national pulmonary hypertension centres of the United Kingdom and Ireland have published A Consensus Statement on the Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in Clinical Practice in the UK and Ireland in March 2008. This is available at:
	www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/ClinicalInformation/PulmonaryHypertension/NationalPulmonaryHypertensionServices/tabid/205/Default.aspx

Learning Disability: Advocacy

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average funding for advocacy provided to individuals with a learning disability was in each local authority area in the most recent period for which figures are available; what the total funding for such advocacy was in each local authority area in that period; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.
	As autonomous public bodies, local authorities choose how much they invest in advocacy for people with learning disabilities and for advocacy overall.

Meat Hygiene Service: Finance

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of future funding for the Meat Hygiene Service; and what plans he has to establish full cost recovery from the industry;
	(2)  what assessment the Government has made of the impact of reducing funding to the Meat Hygiene Service on  (a) disease control,  (b) the agricultural economy,  (c) the future of the service,  (d) public confidence in food quality,  (e) public health and  (f) the profitability of small abattoirs.

Dawn Primarolo: I understand from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the Meat Hygiene Service, an Executive agency of the FSA, is funded by Government and charges levied to the meat industry. Over the next four years it is planned to reduce gross costs from an estimated 91 million in 2007-08 to an estimated 75 million in real terms in 2011-12. Estimated funding from Government and industry over this period is as follows:
	
		
			   million 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11  2011-12 
			 Government funding 58.9 51.8 45.3 39.5 
			 Industry funding 24.3 26.6 32.5 35.5 
			 Total funding 83.2 78.4 77.8 75 
		
	
	Once we have concluded our work with stakeholders to agree a new system of charges, we will undertake a full impact assessment to ensure that these cost reductions will not be at the expense of animal welfare at slaughter, disease control, public confidence-in food or of public health.
	It is envisaged that support for businesses will continue while official controls costs are reduced. Any proposed changes to the current charging arrangements will be subject to full public consultation.

Meat Hygiene Service: Inspections

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average cost to the Meat Hygiene Service of a  (a) bovine,  (b) ovine,  (c) porcine and  (d) avian carcass inspection was in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many  (a) bovine,  (b) ovine,  (c) porcine and  (d) avian carcass inspections were carried out by the Meat Hygiene Service in each of the last three years; and how much was received from the meat processing industry in fees for such inspections in each such year.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of inspections carried out by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) by species in each of the last three financial years was:
	
		
			   Throughput 
			  Category  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05 
			 Bovine 1,844,268 2,012,225 1,942,047 
			 Ovine 14,987,090 15,804,883 15,154,958 
			 Porcine 7,950,660 7,800,208 7,927,815 
			 Avian 777,809,102 788,806,931 786,583,105 
		
	
	Analysis of the average cost of carcass inspection by species is not possible as the time spent by MHS staff on inspection work is not recorded against species.
	The Meat Hygiene Service calculates the cost of the delivery of official controls, which includes all inspection and audit activities undertaken by MHS personnel during pre-slaughter, slaughter, post-slaughter and animal by-products control, on an hourly basis.
	The total cost of the delivery of official controls by the Meat Hygiene Service to the meat industry in each of the last three financial years was:
	
		
			million 
			 2006-07 56.7 
			 2005-06 55.1 
			 2004-05 54.0 
		
	
	Total income received from the meat industry for the same period was:
	
		
			million 
			 2006-07 23.4 
			 2005-06 23.5 
			 2004-05 23.5 
		
	
	The difference between the cost and income results from the current charging system under which a Food Business Operator pays the lesser of hourly charges or a fee calculated on the throughput charge per animal or per tonne of meat that is processed. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) funds the difference between cost and income, which is in effect a subsidy to the meat industry.
	In addition to the delivery of official controls, the MHS undertakes work on behalf of government customers, principally FSA and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a full cost recovery basis. This work includes the supervision of brain stem removal for bovine spongiform encephalopathy testing, monitoring and reporting on animal welfare and the supervision of licensed abattoirs participating in the older cattle disposal scheme. The cost of the work in the last three years was:
	
		
			million 
			 2006-07 34.6 
			 2005-06 33.1 
			 2004-05 29.7

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent steps the Government has taken to improve the reporting system of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency;
	(2)  what recent steps the Government has taken to inform the public about unsafe medicines and medical equipment available on the market.

Dawn Primarolo: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regularly publishes safety information on its website in relation to the safety of medicines and medical devices.
	In August 2007, the MHRA launched a new monthly electronic bulletin, Drug Safety Update, which gives healthcare professionals the latest information and advice about medicines, including safety issues. The bulletin is available on the MHRA's website at:
	www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetyguidance/DrugSafetyUpdate/index.htm
	On 18 February 2008 the MHRA launched a new reporting form both on-line and in paper format to make it easier and more accessible for members of the public to report suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to the Yellow Card Scheme. The online element allows important information to be entered directly onto the MHRA's database. This is being publicised via a six week campaign in community pharmacies across the United Kingdom. The campaign aims to make members of the public aware of the potential for side effects to their medicines and inform them of what to do in such an event.
	The MHRA's Defective Medicine Report Centre also evaluates reports of defective or ineffective medicines and will take action to recall such products.
	The MHRA has comprehensive systems in place to enable healthcare professionals, manufacturers and the public to report safety issues relating to medical devices. Reports can be made in writing, by telephone or electronically via the MHRA website. The online reporting system for healthcare professionals, patients and members of the public was launched in 2001.
	In 2007 MHRA published a leaflet encouraging members of the public to report faulty medical equipment. These leaflets have been widely circulated in general practitioner surgeries and pharmacies.
	The MHRA issues guidance to all national health service trusts at the beginning of each year, reminding them of their obligation to report safety issues relating to medical devices and NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England have designated medical device liaison officers to encourage and train staff and users to report adverse incidents.
	The MHRA has recently upgraded the website to improve systems for manufacturer reporting. The Manufacturers Online Reporting Environment (MORE) was launched by the agency in October 2003 and an improved version was launched in February 2008. It is a simple tool provided by the agency for medical device manufacturers and their authorised representatives to report medical device adverse incidents online.
	In 2005 the MHRA was designated as the UK Competent Authority for the Blood Safety and Quality Directives. In November 2005 MHRA launched Serious Adverse Blood Reactions and Events, the online reporting system for Blood Establishments and Blood Banks to report all serious adverse blood reactions and events occurring in the UK.

Mentally Ill: Medical Records

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2103-4W, on the mentally ill: medical records, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that when an independent mental health advocate is given access to a patient's electronic records they are able to view only the information relevant to the patient's detention, treatment or aftercare.

Ivan Lewis: Local record holders will decide what information to release to the independent mental health advocate, either by allowing them to view relevant information and/or giving them a copy of relevant information.
	Independent mental health advocates will not be given direct access to a patient's medical records through the NHS Care Record Service. However, a competent patient may choose to allow an independent mental health advocate access to their Summary Care Record once these become available through the patient's Healthspace account.

NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the liabilities of each primary care trust are under contracts for the provision of projects funded through local improvement finance trusts; and what recent estimate he has made of the occupancy rates of healthcare facilities provided through local improvement finance trusts.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not collected centrally. As local improvement finance trusts (LIFT) schemes are developed, it is the responsibility for each primary care trust involved to ensure they can manage the resulting liabilities and service occupancy.
	All LIFT schemes are underpinned by a strategic service development plan and a business case approval process. These require the primary care trust to demonstrate to their board, and if necessary their strategic health authority, the service and strategic need for the buildings and the affordability of the resulting liabilities.

NHS: ICT

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what elements of the Lorenzo software package are expected to be delivered to trusts after July 2010;
	(2)  in how many stages it is expected that the Lorenzo clinical software package will be delivered for use as part of the National Health Service Programme for IT; what the expected date for delivery of each stage is; and what functionality is expected at each stage;
	(3)  how many  (a) trusts and  (b) other users are planned for each of the stages of delivery of the Lorenzo software package under the Penfield scheme by (i) July 2008, (ii) January 2009, (iii) July 2009, (iv) January 2010 and (v) July 2010;
	(4)  when it is expected the  (a) the first NHS trust and  (b) the first 10 trusts will have deployed elements of the Lorenzo software package under the Penfield scheme;
	(5)  by what date it is expected that three-quarters of NHS trusts in  (a) the North West region,  (b) the North East region and  (c) the Eastern region will have had their patient administration systems and clinical systems replaced by the Lorenzo clinical software package under the Penfield scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: The software underpinning the Lorenzo regional care solution for the North, Midlands and East (NME) programme for information technology (IT) areapreviously comprising the North West/West Midlands, North East and Eastern national programme for IT regionsis currently scheduled to be delivered in four stages, or 'releases', as follows:
	release 1: from June 2008;
	release 2: from November 2008;
	release 3: from July 2009; and
	release 4: from March 2010.
	The software for release 1 will initially be made available to three 'early adopter' sites. Following a period of live running within these sites, the release will be rolled out progressively across NME trusts. A similar approach is envisaged for subsequent releases. This staged approach is consistent with best practice and the recommendation from the Health Select Committee.
	Functionality for release 1, which will be deployed over legacy patient administration systems (PAS), will enable the ordering of tests and reporting of results for pathology and radiology, supported through interfaces to legacy departmental systems. This functionality will also support ordering of a range of other patient-based services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nursing interventions. The release will facilitate the building of a wide range of clinical documentation that will begin to replace the paper-based records, or the multiple clinical applications, which are currently used throughout the national health service.
	Release 2 will replace legacy PAS systems by supporting an additional range of key functions both within and across NHS organisations. The release will include referral management, access planning and waiting lists, complex scheduling, out-patient in-patient and day-care case load management, care planning, case note tracking and contract management functionality. Functionality will also be available for those trusts that need to record Mental Health Act administration details and undertake mental health reviews and tribunals.
	This release also aims to include the ability to record prescriptions and medications issued to patients on discharge using a formulary-based catalogue which identifies interactions that could arise due to the combination of drugs being prescribed, and other checking functionality to reduce clinical errors. In addition, emergency care functionality should be supported for those organisations looking to replace their current departmental systems.
	Release 3 will build on the functionality delivered in release 2 by providing full in-patient prescribing and medication administration functionality, and maternity and theatre management functionality intended to replace legacy systems. The release will, in addition, provide the capability to schedule multiple resources such as people, rooms and equipment, and also deliver enhanced bed management capability.
	Release 4 aims to provide functionality to support general practitioner practices, health screening, integrated care pathways, commissioning, theatre tray management and stock management. It will also provide the ability to link to remote devices to facilitate telemetry, and for working when disconnected from a network.
	At present, development plans extend to July 2010. New requirements after July 2010 will need to be specified and supported by an appropriate business case and approval.
	It is not possible to provide the details requested of the future number, location and sequencing of longer-term deployments. This is because meeting the needs and priorities of individual trusts which are maintaining normal business operations requires flexibility in the deployment planning and inevitably means that plans will always be subject to potential change. Detailed implementation planning became the responsibility of individual trusts and the chief executives of strategic health authorities from April 2007.

Nutrition: Health Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of treating a patient for a disorder of nutrition as an  (a) in-patient and  (b) out-patient in each year since 2004-05.

Ben Bradshaw: The average cost of treating a patient for a disorder of nutrition as an in-patient in each year since 2004-05 is provided in the following table. The information is not available in the format requested for out-patients.
	
		
			  Average cost of treating an inpatient( 1)  for a disorder of nutrition from reference costs 
			   
			   Total cost  Actual FCEs( 2)  Average unit cost 
			 2004-05(3) 10,220,000 6,920 1,480 
			 2005-06(3) 9,918,000 6,770 1,470 
			 2006-07(4,5) 10,713,000 8,990 1,190 
			 (1) Inpatient episodes include elective, non-elective and day cases. (2) FCE is finished consultant episode. (3) Data for 2004-05 and 2005-06 were collected based on Healthcare Resource Group (HRG) version 3.5. (4) Data for 2006-07 were collected based on HRG version 4. (5) The figures above show a decrease in the average unit cost in 2006-07 compared to previous years. This is due to an increase in the number of recorded day cases in 2006-07, resulting in a lower average cost.

Palliative Care

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data is used by commissioners to determine accurately the need for specialist palliative and neurological care in  (a) Boston and Skegness,  (b) Lincolnshire and  (c) England.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Lincolnshire Teaching PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient. The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
	Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of the framework is available in the Library.

Palliative Care: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on supportive and palliative care has been fully implemented in Chorley.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Central Lancashire PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been required to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
	Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through the North West SHA.

Palliative Care: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used by commissioners in Chorley to determine the need for specialist palliative and neurological care.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Central Lancashire PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient.
	The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
	Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of this document is available in the Library.

Palliative Care: Eastbourne

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on supportive and palliative care has been fully implemented in Eastbourne.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been required to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
	Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through the South East Coast SHA.

Palliative Care: Lancashire

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used by commissioners to determine the need for specialist, palliative care and neurological care in South Ribble; and whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidance on supportive and palliative care has been fully implemented in South Ribble.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Central Lancashire PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient.
	The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
	Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of the framework is available in the Library.

Palliative Care: Norwich

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on supportive and palliative care has been implemented in Norwich North.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Norfolk PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been required to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
	Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through the East of England SHA.

Palliative Care: Norwich

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used by commissioners to determine the level of need for specialist palliative and neurological care in Norwich North.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Norfolk PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient.
	The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
	Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the 'National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions' outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of the framework is available in the Library.

Palliative Care: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on supportive and palliative care has been fully implemented in Peterborough.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Peterborough PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been required to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
	Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through the East of England SHA.

Palliative Care: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are used by commissioners to determine the need for specialist palliative and neurological care in Peterborough.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Peterborough PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient.
	The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
	Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the 'National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions' outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of this document is available in the Library.

Palliative Care: Standards

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidance on supportive and palliative care has been fully implemented in  (a) Boston and Skegness,  (b) Lincolnshire and  (c) England.

Ivan Lewis: It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Lincolnshire Teaching PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been required to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
	Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through the East Midlands SHA.

Polyclinics

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pilot polyclinics have been established; and on how many he has received reports of their effectiveness.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not collected centrally. It is for primary care trusts to commission and determine the clinical design of national health service services based on local health needs.
	The term polyclinic can be used to define a range of possible health service models characterised by the co-location and integration of different services, including those traditionally provided in a hospital out-patient setting and diagnostic services. The evidence available from these types of service models is that they can prevent out-patient appointments and reduce hospital admissions. However, their effectiveness will depend on a range of local factors, including the local design of the services in question.

Prostate Cancer

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to raise public awareness of prostate cancer.

Ann Keen: A pilot public awareness programme on the prostate, set in a primary care trust population, was completed in autumn 2006 and its impact on the local population and the effect it has had on local national health service services has been evaluated. A report based on the results of the pilot and the evaluation, including clear next steps, will be discussed shortly by the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group. The pilot was jointly funded by the Department and signatories to the Prostate Cancer Charter for Action. The Department provided 100,000 towards the pilot.
	The Department has provided funding through the Section 64 scheme for the following organisations to increase public awareness of prostate cancer:
	in 2004 we provided 30,000 to the Men's Health Forum to help fund their publication, the Men and Cancer Manual;
	we have provided 135,000 to the Prostate Cancer Charity to increase available information about prostate cancer; and
	we are providing 105,000 to the Prostate Cancer Charity to improve awareness of the risks and symptoms of prostate cancer in African and Afro-Caribbean men in Britain.
	In addition, the Cancer Reform Strategy set out that we will establish a new National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative. Led by the National Cancer Director, this initiative will bring together the national health service, representatives of local authorities, the Department, the National Cancer Research Institute and the research community, cancer charities and patients to coordinate a programme of activity to support local interventions to increase cancer symptom awareness and encourage earlier presentation.

Regional European Offices: Health

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by each of the regional health Brussels offices in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Decisions to fund and prioritise health in regional offices in Brussels are the responsibility of regional assemblies and local authorities, not the Department of Health.

Smoking: Finance

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on smoking cessation services in each primary care trust area in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available centrally by primary care trust.
	Information on expenditure on national health service stop smoking services by strategic health authority (SHA) is available in April 2006 to March 2007 and April 2005 to March 2006 from the publications shown as follows. These publications are available in the Library:
	'Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2005 to March 2006' (Annual statistical bulletin) Table 5.7, page 54, which was published on September 28, 2006.
	'Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2006 to March 2007' (Annual statistical bulletin) Table 3.9, page 39, which was published on August 17, 2007.
	For earlier years the figures at SHA level have not been published previously. SHA level expenditure on NHS stop smoking services for two years April 2004 to March 2005 and April 2003 to March 2004 are shown in the following table.
	The figures for April 2002 to March 2003 are not available.
	
		
			  Table 1:  Total expenditure( 1)  for NHS Stop Smoking Services by Government Office Region and Strategic Health Authority, 2003-04 and 2004-05 ,  England 
			  Total expenditure (000) 
			   2003-04  2004-05 
			  England 36,201 47,069 
			 North East Government Office Region 2,297 2,895 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 908 1,269 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 1,389 1,626 
			
			  North West Government Office Region  5,597  7,135 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 1,816 2,523 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 1,446 1,713 
			 Greater Manchester 2,335 2,899 
			
			  Yorkshire and the Humber Government Office Region 3,744 4,702 
			 North and East Yorkshire, Northern Lincolnshire 1,072 1,316 
			 South Yorkshire 1,295 2,006 
			 West Yorkshire 1,377 1,380 
			
			  East Midlands Government Office Region 3,334 4,278 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 1,013 1,444 
			 Trent 2,321 2,834 
			
			  West Midlands Government Office Region 4,684 6,173 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country 2,220 3,073 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 1,277 1,581 
			 West Midlands South 1,187 1,519 
			
			  East of England Government Office Region 2,474 3,717 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 725 934 
			 Essex 841 1,375 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 908 1,408 
			
			  London Government Office Region 5,942 8,095 
			 North Central London 1,285 1,827 
			 North East London 1,468 1,614 
			 North West London 1,336 1,974 
			 South East London 1,200 1,601 
			 South West London 654 1,078 
			
			  South East Government Office Region 4,544 5,767 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 847 1,275 
			 Kent and Medway 795 1,405 
			 Surrey and Sussex 1,594 1,477 
			 Thames Valley 1,308 1,611 
			
			  South West Government Office Region 3,586 4,308 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 1,496 1,745 
			 Dorset and Somerset 922 1,086 
			 South West Peninsula 1,167 1,477 
			 (1) Total expenditure excludes NRT and bupropion (Zyban) on prescription  Source: Lifestyle Statistics. The Information Centre, 2007

Wheelchairs: Safety

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps the Government has taken to improve the safety of NHS wheelchairs.

Dawn Primarolo: Since June 1998, new wheelchairs which are classed as medical devices and placed on the market must carry the CE mark indicating conformity with the Medical Device Regulations.
	Before applying the CE mark the manufacturer must ensure that all risks are removed or minimised and any residual risks are acceptable when weighed against the benefit to the user. The manufacturer must inform users of the residual risks by means of labelling on the device and/or warnings contained in the user information material.
	Users, carers, healthcare professionals and others are encouraged to report any safety related problems to Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) via the MHRA electronic reporting system on their website or by verbal or written contact. This was reinforced in January 2008 with the issue of a new Medical Device Alert aimed specifically at raising the awareness of the need to report incidents involving any type of medical device. MHRA considers all reports received based on the level of risk and carries out investigations accordingly. Where appropriate the MHRA also works with or refers cases to other regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom such as trading standards and also liaises as necessary with other UK Government Departments and Competent Authorities within Europe and also with the United States, Canada, and Australia.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Carers

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the cost to business of carers leaving the workforce in each of the last five years.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 18 February 2008
	BERR does not calculate the cost to business of particular groups leaving the workforce.

Certification Quality Marks: Fraud

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent steps the Government have taken to counter fraudulent use of CE marking.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 12 March 2008
	This is a matter for the relevant enforcement authorities; however, the United Kingdom is playing an active part in the current negotiations for new European measures that will, among other provisions, strengthen the protection for CE marking.

Departmental Home Working

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people in his Department have been authorised to work from home in the last 12 months.

Gareth Thomas: We do not hold information centrally for those members of staff that have worked from home in the last 12 months. This information could be made available only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) staff and  (b) full-time equivalent staff under 18 years of age are employed by his Department.

Gareth Thomas: There are no staff under 18 years employed by this Department.

Departmental Property

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many residential properties his Department owns; how many of these are vacant; and how many of these have been vacant for longer than  (a) three,  (b) six and  (c) 12 months.

Gareth Thomas: My Department does not own any residential properties.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many regulatory impact assessments his Department has conducted in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: Information on the final regulatory impact assessments published between 1 January and 30 June 2007 can be found in Command Paper 7297, available at:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm72/7297/7297.pdf
	For the then Department of Trade and Industry, 23 have been listed.
	The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) was created on 28 June 2007. Departments including BERR are in the process of identifying the final regulatory impact assessments published between 1 July and 31 December 2007.
	From April 2008, all final impact assessments will be published on a central website.

Departmental Written Questions

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many and what proportion of Parliamentary questions for answer on a named day to his Department and its predecessor received a  (a) holding and  (b) substantive answer on the named day in each year since 2001.

Gareth Thomas: The number of named days questions received by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform is shown as follows:
	
		
			   Number which received a holding reply  Number which received a substantive reply 
			 2001-02 835 544 
			 2002-03 480 255 
			 2003-04 452 245 
			 2004-05 199 87 
			 2005-06 652 358 
			 2006-07 390 232 
			 2007 to date 198 92 
		
	
	For the period in question 35 per cent. of named days received a substantive reply.

Drinking Water

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent on bottled water in the latest year for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2235W, to the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T.C. Davies).

Electrical Cables

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what criteria his Department applies in deciding whether electricity transmission lines should be buried underground.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 7 March 2008
	Undergrounding lines is significantly more expensive than overgrounding them particularly at higher voltages. The Department therefore looks to see whether there are particular circumstances which justify undergrounding a proposed line or stretches of a proposed line. There are no set criteria laid down.

Foreign Investment in UK: Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assistance his Department provides to Israeli businesses wishing to  (a) invest in the United Kingdom and  (b) take part in joint ventures with UK companies; how much was made available for these purposes in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) team in the British embassy in Tel Aviv includes two officials who focus primarily on encouraging Israeli investment in the UK, and on encouraging collaboration between British and Israeli firms in areas such as research and development (R and D). Although there is no dedicated annual budget for this work, the UKTI team in Tel Aviv has access to centrally-held funds to support regular programme activity in support of these aims. Recent examples include a seminar on listing on the London Stock Exchange, held in Tel Aviv in November 2007; a seminar on inward investment in stem cell R and D, held in Tel Aviv in December 2007; an inward mission to the UK in the healthcare sector, in December 2007; and the publication of a newsletter to coincide with the Lord Mayor's visit to Israel, from 21 to 24 January 2008, highlighting the UK's strengths as a business partner.

Israel-Britain Business Council: Finance

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was allocated by his Department to the Israel- Britain Business Council in each year since the Council's establishment; whether there are restrictions on the use of these funds; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) allocates 25,000 annually for the activities of the Israel-Britain Business Council (IBBC). This funding supports UKTI's efforts to increase trade and investment with Israel. UKTI officials work closely with both the Director of the IBBC and other UK members, to try to ensure a good fit between the activities of the Business Council and UKTI's strategic priorities for business with Israel including financial services, health care and high technology sectors.

Minimum Wage: Disabled

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the impact of the minimum wage on employment among people with disabilities.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 18 February 2008
	The Government ask the Low Pay Commission to review the impact of the national minimum wage on different groups of workers, including people with disabilities.
	The Low Pay Commission's most recent assessment is included in their 2007 report, available in the Libraries of both Houses or from the Commission's website at:
	ww.lowpay.gov.uk

Non-Departmental Public Bodies: Animal Welfare

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies employ an animal welfare specialist.

Gareth Thomas: The Department has responsibility for the following advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs):
	Advisory Committee on Carbon Abatement Technologies
	Fuel Poverty Advisory Group
	Industrial Development Advisory Board
	Low Pay Commission
	Regional Industrial Development Boards
	Renewables Advisory Board
	UK National Authority Advisory Group
	Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board.
	Information on specialists in these organisations is held by the bodies themselves. This information is not held centrally.

Personal Loans: Cars

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will  (a) investigate the activities of companies offering loans secured against the logbooks and related documents associated with car ownership and  (b) assess the impact of such practices on consumers on low incomes and with poor credit ratings.

Gareth Thomas: The Office of Fair Trading has received complaints about businesses offering loans of this kind which it is currently considering. A common feature of the complaints received is that it is alleged that the full consequences of defaulting on such loans has not been explained to the consumers. The OFT is responsible for ensuring that consumer credit licences are only held by businesses that are fit to do so. Any evidence that a business has engaged in unfair business practices would be relevant to a consideration of its fitness to hold such a licence.

Post Offices: Closures

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of the post offices closure programme with the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.

Patrick McFadden: The Government are committed to a national network of post offices, has set access criteria to ensure reasonable access to post office services for all communities and is providing a network subsidy payment of up to 150 million a year to support the non-commercial part of the network. Under the access criteria, Post Office Ltd. is required to ensure that nationally, 99 per cent. of the UK population is within three miles of their nearest post office outlet and 90 per cent. within one mile.

Post Offices: Closures

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the location was of each post office which has closed in Greater London since 1997.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much he estimates will be saved by the Post Office through the planned closures of post offices; how much will be saved on average per closure; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Reorganisation

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the reasons were for not including environmental impact as a factor to be taken into account in the Post Office Network Change programme by Post Office Ltd.

Patrick McFadden: As stated in the Government's response to the public consultation on the post office network, closures will principally affect a combination of branches in areas of over-provision and those that are least used. Post Office Ltd. will be tasked with taking a strategic overview of service provision to ensure that in areas of over-provision, people should be able to find an alternative branch nearby and the vast majority will still be within walking distance of their nearest office. With the least used, the number of people affected will, by the nature of the offices, be low. The introduction of new access criteria will minimise the impact by ensuring that the network remains readily accessible across the UKwith far greater coverage than any other retailer, financial service provider or public service provider.
	The 21 area plans published by Post Office Ltd. to date indicate that on average 99 per cent. of customers will see no change to the post office branch they currently use or will be within one mile of an alternative branch.

Post Offices: Reorganisation

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will change Government access criteria for the Network Change programme to require Post Office Ltd. to take environmental impacts into specific consideration.

Patrick McFadden: The access criteria set a minimum density of coverage to maintain a national network of post offices and reasonable access to post office services across the country by requiring that nationally, 99 per cent. of the UK population is within three miles of their nearest post office outlet and 90 per cent. within one mile.

Post Offices: Reorganisation

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the basis is for statements by the Post Office that Government access criteria do not require Post Office Ltd. to take environmental impacts into specific consideration as part of their Network Change programme.

Patrick McFadden: In developing proposals for post office closures and new outreach sites under its Network Change programme, Post Office Ltd. is require to comply with the access criteria set by Government, to take account of geographical factors, including distance to alternative outlets, and to consider availability of public transport, local demographics and the impact on local economies. Experience with the programme to date shows that, on average, for 90 per cent. of customers there is no change to the post office branch they currently use. And on average 99 per cent. will either see no change or be within one mile of an alternative branch.

Post Offices: Yorkshire and the Humber

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many and what percentage of residents in  (a) Yorkshire and the Humber and  (b) Beverley and Holderness he estimates will have access by road to a post office within three miles following the implementation of the post office restructuring programme; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The information is not available in the form requested. However, Post Office Ltd.'s decision booklet for the East Yorkshire with Bassetlaw and North Lincolnshire area plan states that 99 per cent. of the area will see no change in the post office they currently use or will remain within one mile by road of an alternative branch.

Traffic Congestion: East of England

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans the East of England Development Agency has to employ consultants to establish the cost of traffic congestion in the East of England; what the consultants' brief will be; when he expects the consultants to complete their task; and what budget has been provided.

Patrick McFadden: The East of England Development Agency has commissioned Steer Davies Gleave to undertake a study to establish the impact of transport constraints in the East of England (including congestion) on the regional and national economy.
	The brief comprises three key components:
	 (a) The quantification of the economic impacts caused by transport constraints in the East of England
	 (b) An identification of particular areas in the region in which transport constraints are having significant economic impacts
	 (c) A quantification of the economic benefits that could be derived from addressing-transport constraints.
	The study is being undertaken in consultation with local, regional and national partners, including public sector and business representatives.
	The study will be complete by July 2008, and the budget for the study is 130,000.

University Partnerships Limited: Accountancy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when the most recent accounts were  (a) due and  (b) filed at Companies House for University Partnerships Limited.

Gareth Thomas: There is no company with the name of University Partnerships Limited registered with Companies House.

Wines: Sales

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether lower alcohol wines can be imported from the USA and sold in the UK under bilateral agreements; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The minimum permitted alcohol content for wine produced and marketed in the EU is laid down in the Common Market Organisation (CMO) for Wine (Council Regulation (EEC) 1493/99).
	The requirements vary according to the type of wine and the region of production. Wines imported into the EU are, in general, subject to the same requirements. However, a number of countries, including the USA, have completed bilateral agreements.
	These provide for lower alcohol wine produced in conformity with national standards to be imported and marketed in the EU.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prevalence of the kidnapping of foreign workers in Afghanistan; what impact this has on diplomatic and Department for International Development activities in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Kidnapping is considered a high threat throughout Afghanistan, with a number of kidnappings in the country in the past 12 months.
	Our diplomatic and development staff are protected as much as possible by robust security measures. All threats, including that of kidnap, are constantly reviewed to ensure our staff have appropriate levels of protection. We try to strike a balance that allows staff to carry out useful work in Afghanistan, while making reasonable provision against the risk of kidnap and other security threats.

Bermuda

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens  (a) visited and  (b) emigrated to Bermuda in each year since 2000, broken down by (i) age and (ii) sex.

Meg Munn: The Government of Bermuda have provided the following information showing arrivals by British citizens with UK passports who indicated that they were visitors. The data available do not provide a breakdown by age or sex, nor do they indicate the numbers of those choosing to emigrate to Bermuda.
	
		
			   Number of arrivals 
			 2000 35,095 
			 2001 28,996 
			 2002 30,443 
			 2003 26,721 
			 2004 25,369 
			 2005 27,580 
			 2006 34,123 
			 2007 39,240

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by senior civil service staff in his Department and its agencies in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

Meg Munn: Senior staff at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) claimed 204,426.17 in reimbursable expenses during the period 31 January 2007 to 1 February 2008.
	These claims cover travel and subsistence expenses incurred in the course of official business by senior staff based in the United Kingdom within the conditions laid down in Section 8 of the Civil Service Management Code. Expenditure on expenses incurred by senior staff serving overseas is reimbursed locally and not recorded centrally.

Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received on the alleged detention of members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt; what assessment his Department has made of the effect that this may have on the forthcoming municipal elections in Egypt; what discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representatives in Cairo have had with the Government of Egypt on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of the recent arrests of Muslim Brotherhood members. While my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not raised the issue, UK officials raised the Government's concerns about the arrests with the Egyptian embassy on 27 February 2008. We regularly raise human rights issues with the Egyptian Government through officials in London and Cairo. My hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) raised a number of the Government's human rights concerns directly with the visiting Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament on 21 January 2008. He also looks forward to these issues being discussed at the forthcoming EU-Egypt political sub-committee established under the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan.
	We encourage the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the forthcoming municipal elections are conducted freely, fairly and transparently.

Gaza: Armed Conflict

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Egyptian Government on the smuggling of bomb and rocket- making equipment into Gaza.

Meg Munn: Arms smuggling into Gaza remains a great concern. The Quadrilateral Committee, which consists of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and the US, has been working closely to address the issue of smuggling and border control. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met his Egyptian counterpart, Aboul Gheit, in November 2007 and spoke to him by phone on 19 February to discuss the situation in Gaza.

Gaza: Armed Conflict

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Egyptian Government on the use of tunnels to smuggle equipment and personnel into Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Arms smuggling into Gaza remains a great concern. The Quadrilateral Committee, which consists of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and the US, has been working closely to address the issue of smuggling and border control. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to his Egyptian counterpart, Aboul Gheit, on 19 February 2008 to discuss the situation in Gaza.

Heathrow Airport

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 105WS, on Heathrow and Gatwick (VIP facilities), what the public subsidy is expected to be in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09.

Meg Munn: Final accounts for 2007-08 are not yet available. We anticipate expenditure of 2.4 million on the VIP suites at London Heathrow and the one facility at London Gatwick. We expect to recover about 1.25 million from diplomatic missions for their private use of these facilities.
	On 31 March 2008, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's financial support and operational role in the terminal suites at Heathrow and Gatwick will end. From 1 April BAA will be responsible for covering 100 per cent. of the operating costs and invoicing all customers directly, including diplomatic missions and the FCO. For financial year 2008-09, we have estimated we will need 50,000 to meet the suite costs of that VIPs whom we officially invite to the UK.
	The FCO will maintain operational control and financial interest in the royal suite at Heathrow. To cover these costs we have a budget of 0.54 million, of which we expect to recover at least 90 per cent. as full economic recovery charges for private use of this facility by diplomatic missions.

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Serbia's co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the detection and arrest of fugitive indictees.

David Miliband: The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) made an assessment in June 2007 which highlighted some improvement in the level of co-operation from Serbia, such as the establishment of a National Security Council; better access to documents requested by the Prosecutor's office; and co-ordinated action resulting in the arrests of General Tolimir and Vlastimir Dordevic in 2007. Since then, the Serbian government has also offered a 1 million reward for information leading to the capture of Ratko Mladic.
	However, the ICTY Chief Prosecutor's latest assessment, delivered in December 2007, was that Serbia had failed to build on this initial progress and was not fully co-operating with the Tribunal. We agree that sustained improvements in co-operation from the Serbian authorities, together with an increased political commitment, are needed in order to locate the remaining fugitive indictees, particularly Mladic and Karadzic. The Government continue to deliver this message to the Serbian Government at every opportunity.

Kenya: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effect of recent ethnic conflict in Kenya on  (a) institutions,  (b) social cohesion and  (c) infrastructure in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The post-election crisis has had an adverse impact on the economy, social cohesion and public perception of certain institutions in Kenya. We support the recently signed National Accord and on-going reconciliation initiatives. In anticipation of a lasting political settlement that is seen to meet the will of the Kenyan people, donors have begun work on a needs assessment study to rebuild the country. So far, the Government have provided 2.5 million in humanitarian assistance.

Kenya: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has  (a) offered and  (b) provided to help resolve the situation in Kenya; what his most recent assessment of the political situation in Kenya is; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UK, together with Kenya's other international partners, has strongly supported the mediation mission led by Kofi Annan to broker a power-sharing agreement between President Kibaki and Raila Odinga. We welcome the signing of an agreement by the two sides on 28 February. We consider that it provides a strong foundation on which to bring Kenya back to the path of prosperity, democracy and stability. The imperative is for Kenya's leaders to implement the agreement in full and to build up a sense of national reconciliation. We look forward to working with the new coalition Government, once it has been formed.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take steps at the United Nations in response to the rejection by the President of the Palestinian Authority of the description of Israel as a Jewish state; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UK has no plans to respond at the UN to the Palestinian President's recent comments on the description of Israel as a Jewish state. The UK is committed to a two-state solution.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take steps at the United Nations in response to the recent comments by the President of the Palestinian Authority on the recognition by Hamas of the state of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UK has no plans to respond at the UN. Our policy towards Hamas has not changed. We do not have contact with Hamas. The key to making progress is to swiftly resume negotiations. The policy of the Quartet on talks with Hamas is based on its three principles: recognition of Israel, acceptance of previous agreements and renunciation of violence. These principles remain the fundamental conditions for a viable peace process. We hope that Hamas will accept the principles and grasp the opportunity for dialogue and progress. However, a political dialogue is impossible as long as one party is dedicated to violence and the destruction of the other.

Nepal: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representatives in Kathmandu have had with (i) the Government and (ii) the royal family of Nepal on (A) the December 2007 vote to abolish the monarchy, (B) possible UK assistance for the elections in April 2008 and (C) the position of the Madhesi ethnic group; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The question of the future of the monarchy in Nepal is one which can only be decided by the people of Nepal themselves. The UK has had no discussions with the Government of Nepal on the December 2007 agreement to determine the process for declaring Nepal a republic. Furthermore, the UK has had no discussions with the Nepalese royal family on any of the issues identified by the hon. Member in his question.
	The UK has supported the electoral process, for instance through co-funding the Election Commission and supporting education programmes aimed at raising awareness of a Constituent Assembly. We have maintained a comprehensive dialogue with the Government of Nepal and all political parties. I refer the hon. Member to the answer that the Minister for the Middle East, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontopridd (Dr. Howells), gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann), on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2358W.
	The question of Madhesi rights and engagement in the political process has moved sharply up the agenda through the last year following significant disturbances and violent protests across the Terai region. The UK has had a wide-ranging dialogue with the Government of Nepal and officials representing Madhesi parties. I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East, gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glenrothes (Mr. MacDougall) on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2358-9W.

Nepal: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the  (a) security situation and  (b) political stability of Nepal following the 2006 peace accord; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Notwithstanding the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in November 2006, Nepal has continued to see violence, much of which stems from intimidation, abductions and extortion, carried out by groups affiliated to the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN(M)). In recent months, widespread violence has resulted in over 170 deaths in the Terai, the southern plains bordering India. The UK has urged the Government of Nepal and all political parties to work towards improving public security. In addition, we have offered assistance on policing and judicial reform issues and encouraged greater recognition of the rule of law.
	The CPA cleared the way for a political settlement which saw the formation of an interim Parliament and an interim Government which included Ministers from CPN(M). Although there has been friction, not least when CPN(M) Ministers left Government briefly in 2007, and more recently during negotiations between the Government of Nepal and groups representing the Madhes, the UK hopes elections to a Constituent Assembly will be able to take place on 10 April 2008.

Serbia: Human Rights

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received representations from Human Rights Watch on the reported threats and harassment against Ms Natasa Kandic, the head of the Humanitarian Law Centre in Belgrade, and other human rights activists in Serbia; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We have received no representations from Human Rights Watch.
	We are following closely and with concern the threats and harassment experienced by the Humanitarian Law Centre in Belgrade and other non-governmental organisations.
	On 29 February the EU made formal representations to the Serbian Government in Belgrade, in which it expressed concern about the pressure currently exerted on some of the Serbian media and non-governmental organisations.

Serbia: Human Rights

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to his Serbian counterpart on observing the safety and human rights of Ms Natasa Kandic, the head of the Humanitarian Law Centre in Belgrade, and other human rights activists in Serbia.

David Miliband: We deplore threats made against individuals and non-governmental organisations in Serbia and the attack on 21 February against the premises of the Humanitarian Law Centre in Belgrade, which Ms Kandic heads.
	On 29 February the EU made formal representations to the Serbian Government in Belgrade, in which it expressed concern about the pressure currently exerted on some of the Serbian media and non-governmental organisations.

South America: Foreign Relations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representatives in (i) Caracas, (ii) Bogota and (iii) Quito have had with (A) the government of and (B) others in (1) Venezuela, (2) Colombia and (3) Ecuador on (x) the killing of Raul Reyes and (y) relations between the three countries; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representatives in Paris have had with the French Government on relations between Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representative staff have had with the European Commission on the EU response to relations between Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representatives in Washington D.C. have had with the US Government on relations between Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representatives in Brasilia have had with the Government of Brazil on relations between Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia; whether assistance was offered to Brazil and its South American partners to assist in resolving the regional situation; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are holding meetings with representatives of the three Governments concerned. We are urging all parties to show restraint and to follow a diplomatic process to ease current tensions. We fully supported the European Union declaration of 5 March, which commented
	The European Union is concerned about the growing tension and the deployment of armed forces between Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. It urges all parties involved to show restraint and to avoid any further escalation of the current situation.
	The European Union encourages all countries involved to seek, through dialogue, a political solution.
	We are monitoring events closely and are discussing the situation with partners in the European Union, the European Commission, the US and Latin America, including Brazil. We have not discussed specific offers of assistance to Brazil and its South American partners in resolving tensions.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he,  (b) his officials and  (c) UK representatives in Khartoum have had with the Government of Sudan on Sudanese army operations in Darfur since the beginning of 2008; what assessment his Department has made of such operations; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We have had extensive contacts with the Government of Sudan to discuss the situation in Darfur, including the issue of fighting in West Darfur between Government and rebel forces. My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development, in a joint statement of 27 February, noted the dangerous wider consequences of such conflict and called for an immediate end to fighting. We have delivered the same message, and emphasised the Government of Sudan's responsibility to protect civilians, in other contacts including by my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, during his visit to Sudan on 28 to 31 January, in subsequent talks in Khartoum through our ambassador, and with EU partners at the 18 February General Affairs and External Relations Council. We continue to urge all parties including rebel movements to commit themselves to a ceasefire and engage fully in a political process aimed at establishing a lasting peace in Darfur.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Southern Sudan's President on fighting in Abyei Province.

Meg Munn: My noble Friend the Minister responsible for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, discussed progress on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), including instability in Abyei, with the President of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir, in Juba on 29 January, and subsequently with Sudanese leaders, including President Bashir, in Khartoum and Addis Ababa later that week. We continue to raise these issues in contacts with northern and southern Sudanese leaders. Sir Derek Plumbly will pursue all aspects of CPA implementation in his role as Chair of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission for the CPA.

Sudan: Overseas Aid

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of UN claims that the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) is blocking humanitarian access to the Jabel Moun area of Darfur; what reports his Department has received on possible negotiations between the JEM and the Government of Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: While we understand humanitarian agencies are still unable to access the Jebel Moun area, we cannot confirm whether they are barred at the behest of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) or because of continuing fighting between JEM forces and the Sudanese armed forces. We are not aware of negotiations between JEM and the Government of Sudan but mediators from the African Union and the UN are talking to rebel groups in and outside Darfur, including JEM, to press them to end hostilities and agree on common platforms for negotiations with the Government of Sudan.
	My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development, in a joint statement of 27 February, called on all parties to stop the violence; to allow immediate humanitarian access; to protect civilians; and to facilitate the deployment of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to ensure that the Darfur peace process takes into account the special wants and needs of women and girls, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Meg Munn: The UK has given 1 million to the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation, which consults civil society on the Darfur peace process including women's groups and non-governmental organisations supporting women's rights.
	The UK has funded Femmes Africa Solidarit (FAS) to support women's peace initiatives in Darfur, Juba and Khartoum. FAS organised the African Women's Consultation on Darfur at the end of January, where about 100 women gathered to discuss the situation in Darfur and Sudan. An Interim Steering Committee will implement the new Action Plan for Peace. FAS is sponsoring an event during the Human Rights Council (3 to 28 March), and will be offering training on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and legal instruments supporting women's issues. FAS plans further consultation and training events in Darfur throughout the year.
	The UK funds governance projects in Sudan which include training the police, judiciary and prison officers in issues related to gender-based violence, and support to local non-governmental organisations for workshops and seminars on peace-building initiatives, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and media campaigns against gender-based violence.
	The UK also contributes 60 per cent. of the budget of the UN's Common Humanitarian Fund which supports women's rights projects in Sudan, including action on sexual and gender-based violence in Darfur and Southern Sudan and strengthening civil society organisations to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and promote women's leadership role in society.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK is taking to ensure that the UNAMID peacekeeping force in Darfur operates in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1325, with particular reference to its calls for  (a) more women to be appointed to peacekeeping operations,  (b) peacekeepers to be trained in gender issues and  (c) women and girls to be provided with extra protection in war zones.

Meg Munn: The UN set a target that women constitute 40 per cent. of the police component of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). The training conference in Accra in February reconfirmed that gender issues will be a significant part of the UNAMID pre-deployment training curriculum. UNAMID is already conducting firewood patrols that give protection to internally displaced persons gathering wood (mainly women).
	In Sudan, our embassy in Khartoum has supported a number of conflict mitigation and peace-building initiatives, which have actively encouraged women to lead on reconciliation efforts in line with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 of October 2000. The UK also funds a number of projects in Sudan training the police, judiciary and prison officers in issues related to gender-based violence.
	The UK leads at the UN on the implementation of UNSCR 1325. We pushed for the most recent presidential statement on UNSCR 1325, of October 2007, to call for increased reporting on the impact of armed conflict on women and girls. The UK is co-sponsoring a Wilton Park conference for Chief-of-Staff-level military personnel from troop-contributing countries to discuss practical tactics that the military can employ to protect women from violence.

Uganda: Armed Conflict

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likelihood of peace between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA); and what reports he has received of the likely request of the LRA leadership for immunity from prosecutions for war crimes.

Meg Munn: We welcome the progress made by the government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and are encouraged by reports that the two sides will sign a final peace agreement by the end of the month. We note that in the recent peace agreement, the LRA leadership has asked the Government of Uganda to request a deferral of the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrants and establish national mechanisms to try those alleged to have committed crimes as an alternative to the ICC. We believe that justice is an essential part of a sustainable peace and it is vital that those responsible for the terrible crimes committed during the conflict in northern Uganda are held to account.

Zimbabwe: Elections

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his  (a) EU and  (b) African counterparts on the need for international pressure on Zimbabwe to observe international standards in the 29 March elections in that country; and what action has been agreed.

Meg Munn: holding answer 10 March 2008
	We are very concerned that the forthcoming Zimbabwean elections will not be conducted in free and fair circumstances. The Minister for Europe, my hon Friend the Member for East Renfrewshire (Mr. Murphy), discussed the importance of Zimbabwean elections meeting international standards with his EU counterparts on 10 March 2008 at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council. Our high commissions and embassies in the region are in regular contact with members of the Southern African Development Community. They are urging them to ensure that the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe meet international standards, including the Southern African Development Community guidelines and principles on elections.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Budgetary Support

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's provision of direct budgetary support in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Independent evaluations of the impact of budget support have demonstrated that, in the right circumstances, budget support has
	strengthened countries' public financial management systems;
	improved the efficiency of their public expenditure; and
	increased the services provided by partner governments, particularly in health and education.

HIV/AIDS

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in the strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in developing countries.

Gillian Merron: The UK Government are making good progress in taking forward the strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in developing countries. In particular, we have narrowed the funding gap, strengthened political leadership, pushed for closer co-ordination between aid agencies, and invested in new medicines and preventative technologies.

Doha

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Government's objectives are for the Doha development round of trade talks at the World Trade Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Government remain committed to working with the EU Trade Commissioner, other EU member states and other World Trade Organisation members to achieve an ambitious, pro-development outcome to the Doha Development Agenda trade talks before the end of 2008.

Doha

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent progress has been made in the Doha development round of trade talks at the World Trade Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: World Trade Organisation members are currently engaged in discussions in Geneva following the issuing of revised negotiating texts in February. The Government remain committed to working with the EU Trade Commissioner, other EU member states and other WTO members to achieve an ambitious, pro-development outcome to the Doha Development Agenda trade talks before the end of 2008.

Nigeria-linked Financial Crime

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department provides to the anti-corruption unit of the Metropolitan police to combat Nigeria-linked financial crime in the UK.

Gillian Merron: The UK Government are providing 6 million of support over three years to the Metropolitan police and the City of London police to strengthen the UK's capacity to investigate and prosecute international corruption cases relating to Nigeria and other developing countries.

International Development Association

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the UK will contribute to the International Development Association 15 replenishment.

Gareth Thomas: The UK will provide the 15th replenishment of the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA 15) with 2.134 billion over three years. IDA 15 runs from 1 July 2008 until 30 June 2011.

Poverty Reduction

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK aid in reducing poverty in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Government are committed to ensuring that UK aid is used effectively to make a difference to the lives of the world's poorest people. UK aid helps lift 3 million people permanently out of poverty every year. The recent OECD-DAC baseline survey also shows that DFID has either met or is on track to meet all the 2010 targets contained in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.

Humanitarian Aid: Gaza

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the provision of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Douglas Alexander: Aid agencies are working to address the serious humanitarian situation in Gaza. However, the priority is to reopen the crossings and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access, including the supply of medical equipment, fuel, food and electricity. I have allocated 2 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which provides water, sanitation, food, medicines and shelter. This is in addition to our wider contribution to the Palestinians of 243 million over three years, linked to political progress.

Kenya

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the assistance needed by Kenya to deal with the aftermath of the post-election violence.

Gillian Merron: A consolidated assessment of assistance needed is being co-ordinated through the Donor Co-ordination Group, drawing on sector assessments from private sector groups and Government Ministries.
	Key priorities already identified include humanitarian assistance for the internally displaced, enhancing food security by ensuring access to farm inputs to get fields planted for the long rains in April, and financial resources for the micro and small enterprise sector.

Malaria

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made in reducing the prevalence of malaria in developing countries.

Gillian Merron: The UK is part of the international effort committed to reducing the impact of malaria.
	The increasing availability of improved medicines (artemisinin-based) worldwide and the increasing provision of insecticide-treated mosquito nets is helping to combat malaria. The combination of increased bednet use, indoor residual spraying and better access to drugs for treatment is helping to reduce the high levels of mortalityespecially among childrenin several countries.

Departmental Cost-Effectiveness

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department has made in its zero-based budget review under the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Shahid Malik: I refer the hon. Member to the Annex pertaining to my Department in 'Meeting the aspirations of the British people: the 2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review' (Cm 7227).

Departmental Official Cars

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what make and model of car  (a) he and  (b) each Minister in his Department selected as their official ministerial car; and what criteria were applied when making the decision in each case.

Douglas Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar and Canning Town (Jim Fitzpatrick) on 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 8W.

Departmental Plants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on pot plants in each of the last five years.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) has spent the following sums on plants, live and artificial, between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2007:
	
		
			
			 2003 15,526.00 
			 2004 49,590.00 
			 2005 28,084.00 
			 2006 25,353.00 
			 2007 22,675.00 
		
	
	DFID has a variety of live and artificial trees and plants in the London and East Kilbride offices. It is not possible to identify the cost of pot plants only so the above figures in the table cover all the expenses associated with plants, including their procurement and maintenance.

Developing Countries

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department on development awareness and community engagement; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Raising awareness of global poverty and enabling UK communities to get involved in development is a priority for the Department for International Development (DFID). There are an increasing number of relevant initiatives under way including,
	1. Development Educationequipping the formal education sector to teach global issues in the classroom more effectively.
	2. The DFID Global School Partnerships programmelinking schools in the UK with partners in developing countries.
	3. Volunteering schemesin particular to enable young people and people from Diaspora communities in the UK to volunteer overseas.
	4. Outreach and events activity such as sponsorship of the 2007 World Scout Jamboree, the Greenbelt Festival and the Global Student Forum. DFID Ministers are also engaged in a programme of visits across the UK to raise awareness of development.
	5. A Development Awareness Fund (DAF) which provides funding to more than 70 projects around the UK targeting different audiences.

NDPBs: Animal Welfare

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies have an animal welfare specialist on them.

Shahid Malik: DFID has one non-departmental public body, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, which currently has no animal welfare specialist among its Commissioners.

Nepal: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the humanitarian situation in Nepal following the 2006 peace accord; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID), like other international donors, monitors the humanitarian situation in Nepal primarily through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). OCHA provides leadership to and co-ordination of the international humanitarian community, and works with DFID and other international bodies to monitor and respond to emerging and ongoing humanitarian crises.
	In this role, OCHA has conducted continuous assessments of the humanitarian situation in Nepal following the 2006 peace accord. Details of the most recent national assessment can be found in the UN Common Appeal for Nepal 2008:
	http://ochaonline.un.org/cap2005/webpage.asp?Page=1649
	This appeal provides a framework for a co-ordinated international response to humanitarian issues in Nepal. The appeal focuses on issues of particular importance in the short term, including food security, health, displacement, disaster preparedness, and protection. DFID is currently examining the appeal document to assess which elements it might support, and will continue to monitor the humanitarian situation jointly with OCHA and other partners.

Nepal: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the humanitarian impact of  (a) the Madhesi movement for increased autonomy and  (b) conflict between the Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and other rebel forces; what assistance his Department is providing to Nepal; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID), like other international donors, monitors the humanitarian situation in Nepal primarily through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). OCHA provides leadership to and co-ordination of the international humanitarian community, and works with DFID and other international bodies to monitor and respond to emerging and ongoing humanitarian crises.
	In this role, OCHA has conducted continuous assessments of the humanitarian impact of both the recent Madhesi movement for increased autonomy in the south of Nepal and of the 10 year conflict between the Government and Maoist forces. Details of these assessments can be found in the UN Common Appeal for Nepal 2008:
	http://ochaonline.un.org/cap2005/webpage.asp?Paqe=1649
	In the past financial year DFID has provided 53 million of support for Nepal, making it the largest bilateral donor to the country. This funding supports the implementation of the peace process (including the elections); support to improved governance, including in public financial management; provision of essential services like health and education, road building and other infrastructure, and support to improved livelihoods and greater economic opportunity for poor people.

JUSTICE

Departmental Property

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many residential properties his Department owns; how many of these are vacant; and how many of these have been vacant for longer than  (a) three,  (b) six and  (c) 12 months.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice headquarters does not own any residential properties.

Driving Under Influence: Alcoholic Drinks

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) arrests,  (b) prosecutions and  (c) convictions there were for drink driving in (i) Lancashire and (ii) England in each year since 2000.

Maria Eagle: The arrests collection held by my Department covers persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences), by main offence group (for instance, violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, theft and handling stolen goods) and police force area within England and Wales. Information on summary offences is non-notifiable and as a result not covered by the collection.
	Available information held on prosecutions and findings of guilt for offences of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs for the years 2000 to 2005 (latest available) is provided in the following tables. 2006 data will be available later this year.
	The data provided cover drink and drugs offences combined, as volumes of prosecutions and convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot be accurately established:
	
		
			  Prosecutions at magistrate courts and findings of guilt at all courts for offences of driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs( 1) , within Lancashire police force area, and England, 2000-05 
			  Number of offences 
			   2000  2001  2002 
			   Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt 
			 Lancashire police force 2,879 2,564 2,570 2,304 2,928 2,599 
			 England 89,329 79,671 89,172 78,684 95,275 84,456 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			   2003  2004  2005 
			   Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt 
			 Lancashire police force 3,014 2,652 3,019 2,706 2,995 2,723 
			 England 98,522 87,392 100,048 89,904 96,587 87,482 
			 (1 )Data provided covers summary offences of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs (which cannot be reliably distinguished separately).  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences, may be less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken lo ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Poaching

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) arrests,  (b) prosecutions and  (c) convictions there were for poaching in (i) Lancashire and (ii) England in each year since 2000.

Maria Eagle: The arrests collection held by my Department covers persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, Summary offences concerning poaching are non-notifiable and as a result are not covered by the collection.
	Data showing the number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty of poaching in Lancashire and England are in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts for poaching in Lancashire and England,  2000 to 2006 
			   2000  2001  2002  2003 
			   Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt 
			 Lancashire police force 23 20 11 8 16 14 9 7 
			 England 298 220 225 186 319 242 207 140 
		
	
	
		
			   2004  2005  2006 
			   Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt  Proceedings  Findings of guilt 
			 Lancashire police force 29 22 21 1 l 2 
			 England 299 233 455 370 75 48 
			  Notes: 1 These data are on the principal offence basis. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3 The statutes used are as follows: Night Poaching Act 1823 s1, Night Poaching Act 1844 s1, Game Act 1831 s30-32, Poaching Preventions Act 1862 s2 and Deer Act 1991.  Source: RDS OCJR Ministry of Justice

Prisoners Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many sentenced prisoners in England and Wales are on the  (a) basic,  (b) standard and  (c) enhanced privilege level of the incentives and earned privileges scheme.

Jack Straw: The recorded data for the incentives and earned privileges scheme (IEPS) does not differentiate between sentenced and unsentenced prisoners, and is recorded on a separate system. It shows a shortfall against the published population data and is only used to provide indicators for monitoring, at a national level, the operation of the system.
	The data provided by this system are set out in the following table. The figures are for the average numbers on each level over a period of 10 months to January 2008.
	
		
			   Number  Percentage 
			 Basic level 1,271 1.5 
			 Standard level 45,437 58.5 
			 Enhanced level 31,077 40

Prisoners Release

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will commission research to identify how many ex-prisoners of working age were in sustained work  (a) three,  (b) six and  (c) 12 months after being released from prison in each year since 1992.

Jack Straw: Research which has that purpose is already in hand.
	The Ministry of Justice has commissioned three cohort studies to identify and assess offenders' needs and risks, and to identify what interventions they receive and how these interventions are associated with a range of outcomes, including employment. The studies concern prisoners, offenders serving community sentences and juveniles. The prison cohort study, Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) follows the progress of 4,000 newly sentenced prisoners during their sentence and when they return to the community. In addition to prisoners' self-reported employment and training after release, the study will have access to benefits and tax records held by the Department for Work and Pensions, which is a financial stakeholder in the study. The first results from this study, describing the presenting problems and needs of prisoners, are scheduled for publication in April 2008.
	Also in April, the Ministry of Justice will be publishing results from an analysis of survey data from 4,898 sentenced prisoners nearing release which was combined with criminal history and reoffending information from the Police National Computer. The study assesses the links between prisoners' circumstances on release (in areas such as education, training, employment, accommodation and family ties), interventions attended in prisons, and reoffending one year after discharge.
	I am happy to arrange for my right hon. Friend to discuss his proposals with the relevant officials in my Department.

Prisoners: Suicide

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what proportion of the prison population  (a) attempted and  (b) committed suicide in (i) English and (ii) Welsh prisons between 2000 and 2007; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many young males  (a) attempted and  (b) committed suicide in each Welsh prison in each year between 2000 and 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: There is no definition of what constitutes an attempted suicide, as it is not possible to measure suicidal intent.
	The available figures express the proportion as a rate of self-inflicted deaths per 100,000 prisoners for the period 2000-07. There are no female or high-security prisons in Wales, and many Welsh male prisoners are held in prisons in England.
	
		
			  Proportion as rate  Average 2000-07 
			 SIDs(1) rate/100,000(2): England 115.9 
			 SIDs(1) rate/100,000(2): Wales 110.9 
			 Overall SIDs(1) rate/100,000 115.7 
			 (1) The Prison Service/NOMS definition of self-inflicted deaths is broader than the legal definition of suicide and includes all deaths where it appears that a prisoner has acted specifically to take their own life. This inclusive approach is used in part because inquest verdicts are often not available for some years after a death (some 20 per cent. of these deaths will not receive a suicide or open verdict at inquest). Annual numbers may change slightly from time to time as inquest verdicts and other information become available. (2) Based on an average of each years month end population figures. 
		
	
	There were four self-inflicted deaths among young males (under 21) in Welsh prisons between 2000 and 2007: two in 2001, one in 2002 and one in 2006. All occurred at Parc, which is the only young offender institution in Wales.

Prisons

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department plans to use prison officer accommodation for providing additional prisoner accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Ministry of Justice has no plans to use prison officer accommodation for providing additional prisoner accommodation.

Prisons

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what food allowances for inmates of contracted-out prisons are stipulated within the relevant contract; what these are for each prison; and how much was paid to privately run prisons for food for inmates in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The nature of the PFI contracts means that we monitor price against service delivery to ensure compliance with the contract and assure value for money, but we do not measure a fixed level of cost for the provision of food for prisoners, and these data are not specifically reported or monitored as part of the contract.

Prisons

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what measures his Department is considering in order to provide additional prisoner accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Government have committed resources to a major expansion of prison capacity. It is intended that we achieve an overall net capacity of just over 96,000 places by 2014. We have already created around 20,000 places since 1997.

Sentencing: Rape

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of those convicted of rape in each police authority area were given  (a) an immediate custodial sentence,  (b) a community sentence,  (c) a fine,  (d) a conditional discharge and  (e) an absolute discharge in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The number of persons convicted of rape in all courts, and given  (a) an immediate custodial sentence,  (b) a community sentence,  (c) a fine,  (d) a conditional discharge and  (e) an absolute discharge, in England and Wales by police force area for the years 2002 to 2006 can be viewed in the following tables.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.
	
		
			  Number of persons found guilty of rape at all courts who were given immediate custody, community sentence, a fine, conditional discharge, or absolute discharge, in England and Wales by police force area for the year 2002( 1,2,3,4,5) 
			  2002 
			Result 
			  Force  Found guilty  Absolute discharge  Conditional discharge  Fine  Community sentence  Immediate custody 
			 Avon and Somerset 12 0 0 0 1 11 
			 Bedfordshire 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Cheshire 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Cumbria 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Derbyshire 7 0 0 0 1 6 
			 Devon and Cornwall 15 0 0 0 0 15 
			 Dorset 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Durham 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Essex 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Gloucestershire 2 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Greater Manchester 32 0 0 0 0 32 
			 Hampshire 21 0 0 0 0 21 
			 Hertfordshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Humberside 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Kent 16 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Lancashire 14 0 0 0 0 14 
			 Leicestershire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Lincolnshire 9 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Merseyside 15 0 0 0 0 15 
			 Metropolitan Police 96 1 0 1 2 90 
			 Norfolk 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 North Yorkshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Northamptonshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Northumbria 22 0 0 0 0 22 
			 Nottinghamshire 13 0 0 0 0 13 
			 South Yorkshire 17 0 0 0 0 17 
			 Staffordshire 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Suffolk 7 0 0 0 0 7 
			 Surrey 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Sussex 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Thames Valley 15 0 0 0 0 15 
			 Warwickshire 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 West Mercia 12 0 0 0 0 12 
			 West Midlands 27 0 0 0 0 27 
			 West Yorkshire 15 0 0 0 0 15 
			 Wiltshire 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Dyfed-Powys 2 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Gwent 16 0 0 0 0 16 
			 North Wales 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 South Wales 20 0 0 0 1 18 
			 Total (England and Wales) 548 1 0 1 5 537 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes the following statute: The Sexual Offences Act 2003, Sections 1, and 5. (4) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004, (5) The number of defendants sentenced for an offence during a year does not always equal the number found guilty, as a defendant may be sentenced for an offence in a different year to the year they are found guilty of that offence.  Source: Court Proceedings Database held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of persons found guilty of rape at all courts who were given immediate custody, community sentence, a fine, conditional discharge, or absolute discharge, in England and Wales by police force area for the year 2003( 1,2,3,4,5) 
			  2003 
			Result 
			  Force  Found guilty  Absolute discharge  Conditional discharge  Fine  Community sentence  Immediate custody 
			 Avon and Somerset 20 0 0 0 1 19 
			 Bedfordshire 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Cheshire 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Cumbria 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Derbyshire 13 0 0 0 0 13 
			 Devon and Cornwall 14 0 0 0 0 14 
			 Dorset 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Durham 1 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Essex 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Gloucestershire 7 0 0 0 0 7 
			 Greater Manchester 31 0 0 0 0 30 
			 Hampshire 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 Hertfordshire 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 Humberside 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 Kent 7 0 0 0 0 7 
			 Lancashire 20 0 0 0 0 19 
			 Leicestershire 15 0 0 0 0 15 
			 Lincolnshire 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Merseyside 13 0 0 0 0 13 
			 Metropolitan Police 113 0 0 0 0 112 
			 Norfolk 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 North Yorkshire 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Northamptonshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Northumbria 20 0 0 0 0 20 
			 Nottinghamshire 13 0 0 0 0 13 
			 South Yorkshire 19 0 0 0 0 19 
			 Staffordshire 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Suffolk 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Surrey 5 0 0 0 0 C 
			 Sussex 17 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Thames Valley 12 0 0 0 0 12 
			 Warwickshire 1 0 0 0 1 0 
			 West Mercia 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 West Midlands 52 0 0 0 2 48 
			 West Yorkshire 30 1 0 0 3 25 
			 Wiltshire 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Dyfed-Powys 2 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Gwent 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 North Wales 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 South Wales 17 0 0 0 0 17 
			 Total (England and Wales) 583 1 0 0 7 568 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes the following statute: The Sexual Offences Act 2003, Sections 1, and 5. (4) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004. (5) The number of defendants sentenced for an offence during a year does not always equal the number found guilty, as a defendant may be sentenced for an offence in a different year to the year they are found guilty of that offence.  Source: Court Proceedings Database held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of persons found guilty of rape at all courts who were given immediate custody, community sentence, a fine, conditional discharge, or absolute discharge, in England and Wales by police force area for the year 2004( 1,2,3,4,5) 
			  2004 
			Result 
			  Force  Found guilty  Absolute discharge  Conditional discharge  Fine  Community sentence  Immediate custody 
			 Avon and Somerset 22 0 0 0 1 21 
			 Bedfordshire 12 0 0 0 0 12 
			 Cambridgeshire 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Cheshire 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 10 0 0 0 1 9 
			 Cumbria 10 0 0 0 1 9 
			 Derbyshire 19 0 0 0 0 19 
			 Devon and Cornwall 15 0 0 0 1 14 
			 Dorset 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Durham 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Essex 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 27 0 0 0 0 27 
			 Hampshire 14 0 0 0 0 12 
			 Hertfordshire 11 0 0 0 1 10 
			 Humberside 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Kent 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 Lancashire 16 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Leicestershire 12 0 0 0 0 12 
			 Lincolnshire 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Merseyside 20 0 0 0 0 20 
			 Metropolitan Police 103 0 0 0 0 101 
			 Norfolk 9 0 0 0 0 9 
			 North Yorkshire 12 0 0 0 1 11 
			 Northamptonshire 14 1 0 0 1 12 
			 Northumbria 18 0 1 0 1 16 
			 Nottinghamshire 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 South Yorkshire 23 0 0 0 0 23 
			 Staffordshire 16 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Suffolk 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Surrey 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Sussex 12 0 0 0 0 12 
			 Thames Valley 16 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Warwickshire 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 West Mercia 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 West Midlands 51 0 0 0 3 48 
			 West Yorkshire 48 0 0 0 1 47 
			 Wiltshire 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Dyfed-Powys 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Gwent 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 North Wales 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 South Wales 23 0 1 0 1 21 
			 Total (England and Wales) 644 1 2 0 13 624 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes the following statute: The Sexual Offences Act 2003, Sections 1, and 5. (4) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004. (5) The number of defendants sentenced for an offence during a year does not always equal the number found guilty, as a defendant may be sentenced for an offence in a different year to the year they are found guilty of that offence.  Source: Court Proceedings Database held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of persons found guilty of rape at all courts who were given immediate custody, community sentence, a fine, conditional discharge, or absolute discharge, in England and Wales by police force area for the year 2005( 1,2,3,4,5) ' 
			  2005 
			Result 
			  Force  Found guilty  Absolute discharge  Conditional discharge  Fine  Community sentence  Immediate custody 
			 Avon and Somerset 11 0 0 0 2 8 
			 Bedfordshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Cambridgeshire 9 0 0 0 1 8 
			 Cheshire 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Cumbria 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Derbyshire 12 0 0 0 1 11 
			 Devon and Cornwall 19 0 0 0 0 18 
			 Dorset 4 0 0 0 1 3 
			 Durham 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Essex 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Gloucestershire 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Greater Manchester 46 0 0 0 3 43 
			 Hampshire 27 0 0 0 2 24 
			 Hertfordshire 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Humberside 16 0 0 0 1 15 
			 Kent 17 0 0 0 2 15 
			 Lancashire 13 0 0 0 0 13 
			 Leicestershire 10 0 0 0 0 10 
			 Lincolnshire 13 0 0 0 1 12 
			 Merseyside 23 0 0 1 0 22 
			 Metropolitan Police 104 0 0 0 0 102 
			 Norfolk 10 0 0 0 0 9 
			 North Yorkshire 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Northamptonshire 7 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Northumbria 11 0 0 0 1 10 
			 Nottinghamshire 18 0 0 0 0 17 
			 South Yorkshire 35 0 1 0 0 33 
			 Staffordshire 13 0 0 0 1 12 
			 Suffolk 7 0 0 0 1 6 
			 Surrey 4 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Sussex 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Thames Valley 21 0 0 0 0 20 
			 Warwickshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 West Mercia 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 West Midlands 62 0 0 0 4 57 
			 West Yorkshire 48 0 0 0 3 44 
			 Wiltshire 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 Dyfed-Powys 4 0 0 0 0 4 
			 Gwent 7 0 0 0 0 7 
			 North Wales 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 South Wales 16 0 0 0 1 15 
			 Total (England and Wales) 694 0 1 1 25 654 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes the following statute: The Sexual Offences Act 2003, Sections 1, and 5. (4) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1st May 2004. (5) The number of defendants sentenced for an offence during a year does not always equal the number found guilty, as a defendant may be sentenced for an offence in a different year to the year they are found guilty of that offence.  Source: Court Proceedings Database held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  N umber of persons found guilty of rape at all courts who were given immediate custody, community sentence, a fine, conditional discharge, or absolute discharge, in England and Wales by police force area for the year 2006( 1,2,3,4,5) 
			  2006 
			Result 
			  Force  Found guilty  Absolute discharge  Conditional discharge  Fine  Community sentence  Immediate custody 
			 Avon and Somerset 17 0 0 0 1 16 
			 Bedfordshire 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 6 0 0 0 0 6 
			 Cheshire 17 0 1 0 2 14 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 16 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Cumbria 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Derbyshire 20 0 0 0 0 19 
			 Devon and Cornwall 18 0 0 0 0 18 
			 Dorset 8 0 0 0 1 7 
			 Durham 7 0 0 0 0 7 
			 Essex 12 1 0 0 1 10 
			 Gloucestershire 13 0 0 0 0 13 
			 Greater Manchester 47 0 0 0 0 47 
			 Hampshire 30 0 0 0 2 28 
			 Hertfordshire 8 0 0 0 1 6 
			 Humberside 26 0 0 0 2 24 
			 Kent 17 0 0 0 1 16 
			 Lancashire 29 0 0 0 2 27 
			 Leicestershire 7 0 0 0 0 7 
			 Lincolnshire 7 0 0 0 0 7 
			 Merseyside 15 0 0 0 0 15 
			 Metropolitan Police 133 0 0 0 3 128 
			 Norfolk 14 0 0 0 0 14 
			 North Yorkshire 11 0 0 0 2 9 
			 Northamptonshire 12 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Northumbria 19 0 0 0 1 17 
			 Nottinghamshire 13 0 0 0 0 13 
			 South Yorkshire 25 0 0 0 4 21 
			 Staffordshire 8 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Suffolk 12 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Surrey 5 0 0 0 1 4 
			 Sussex 11 0 0 0 0 11 
			 Thames Valley 17 0 0 0 0 17 
			 Warwickshire 5 0 0 0 0 5 
			 West Mercia 14 0 0 0 1 11 
			 West Midlands 48 0 0 0 2 46 
			 West Yorkshire 37 0 0 0 3 34 
			 Wiltshire 11 0 0 0 1 10 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Gwent 7 0 0 0 1 6 
			 North Wales 3 0 0 0 0 3 
			 South Wales 16 0 0 0 0 16 
			 Total (England and Wales) 754 1 1 0 32 710 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes the following statute: The Sexual Offences Act 2003, Sections 1, and 5. (4) The Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004. (5) The number of defendants sentenced for an offence during a year does not always equal the number found guilty, as a defendant may be sentenced for an offence in a different year to the year they are found guilty of that offence.  Source: Court Proceedings Database held by RDS Office for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice

Tribunals

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his estimate is of the cost to the public purse of his Department's appeal tribunal (reference: 170/07/01000) on Mr. Rod Leighton.

Bridget Prentice: The cost of processing appeal tribunal (reference 170/07/01000) was 261.00. This is an average cost as calculated by the Tribunals Service.